POLLEN. 



97 



mother-cells, united together in fours, and in this condition they leave tlie anther- 

 cavities. These little pollen-aggregates are termed tetrads. Examples of such 

 plants are: — the Ericacese {Erica, Galluna, Menziesia, Andromeda), the Bearberry 

 (Arctostaphylos), the Strawberry Tree (Ao-butus), the Alpine Rose (Rhododendron), 

 Ledum, Kalniia, the Cranberry and Bilberry {Vaccinium); the Epacridaceaj, 

 Epacris and Leucopogon; many Winter-greens (Pyrolacese); a few Sedges {Juncus 

 Jacquinii and Luzula vernalis); finally Anona, Drimys, Jussieua. In the plants 

 just enumerated the tetrads correspond to the four pollen-cells in the corners of the 

 mother-cell (c/. fig. 219 ^); but in the Apocynaceae (Apocynum, Periploca), in 

 numerous Orchids (Ophrys, Spiranthes), in Fourcroya (nearly related to Agave), 

 and in several Bulrushes (Typha Shuttleworthii and latifolia), the four pollen-cells 

 are arranged in one plane. In a few Willow-herbs (e.g. Epilohium montanum and 

 hirsutum) the four cells are joined, but so slightly that they are readily separated 

 on pressure. 



Of much rarer occurrence than tetrads are j)ollinia. This name is given to the 

 resultant mass of pollen-cells, when the whole of the pollen produced from a single 

 archesporium {i.e. the whole contents of a pollen-sac) remain joined together into 

 a tissue. A poUinium may consist of 8, 12, 64, or even many hundreds of pollen- 

 cells. In the Mimosese the pollinia, which are found serially arranged, are 

 lenticular, egg-shaped, or globular in form; in the Asclepiads they are spatulate, 

 and consist of hundreds of pollen-cells. The pollen-masses of many Orchids are 

 built up of numei-ous little clusters of pollen-cells, and show a branching or lobing; 

 each of these clusters or lobes consists of greater or smaller pollinia. The masses, 

 into which the pollinia of Orchids are aggregated, usually terminate in a stalk 

 which is attached at its other end to a disc. This disc is so sticky that it readily 

 adheres to any object coming in contact with it — a fact of significance in the 

 conveyance of the pollinia from flower to flower by insects. 



The dimensions of pollen-grains are very various in different groups of plants. 

 Thus, whilst in the Forget-me-not {Myosotis), Borage {Borago), Comfrey {Symphy- 

 tum), and Boragineae generally, as also in Artocarpefe (e.g. Ficus), the pollen-grains 

 are very small, in Cannaceaj, Malvaceae, Cucurbitaceae, and NyctagineiB, they are 

 relatively large. The following table of diameters of poUen-grains shows the 

 variation which exists in this respect: — 



Myosotis alpestris, 

 Lithospermum affine, 

 Ficus pumila, ... 

 Carinthe minor, 

 Echium vulgare, 

 Pilea micropkylla, 

 Rhamnus cathartica, 

 Syringa vulgaris, 

 Aloe denticulata, 

 Yucca angustifolia. 



Millimetres. 

 0-0025-0-0034 

 0-0042-0-0052 

 0-0045-0-0056 

 0-0050-0-0057 

 0-010 -0-014 

 0-018 -0-020 

 0-022 -0-032 

 0-024 -0-034 

 0-035 -0-050 

 0-055 -0-065 



Viola tricolor, 

 Convolvulus sepium, 

 Geraniwm Rohcrtianum, 

 Opuntia cynanchica, 

 Oxyhaphus nyctagineus, . 

 Alorina Fersica, ... 

 Cucurbita Pepo, ... 

 Mirabilis longiflora,... . 

 Cucumis Uelo, 

 Mirabilis Jalapa, 



Millimetres. 

 0-062-0-071 

 0-076-0-084 

 0-085-0-094 

 0-15 -0-20 

 0-18 -0-22 

 0-19 -0-24 

 0-20 -0-23 

 0-20 -0-24 

 0-20 -0-24 

 0-22 -0-25 



The poUen-grains of the Marvel of Peru {Mirabilis Jalapa) are consequently 

 Vol. II. 87 



