blossom Hosts and Insect Guests 



closely. If we pluck one of the blossom's heads 

 and keep it in a vase overnight, we shall probably 

 see on the following morning a tiny yellow ring of 

 pollen encircling the outer edge of the cone. In 

 this way only are we likely to see the ring in its 

 perfection, as in a state of nature the wind and 

 insects rarely permit it to remain. 



If we now with a sharp knife make a vertical 

 section, as shown at Fig. i, we may observe 



Fig. I. 



the conical receptacle studded with its embryo 

 seeds, each bearing a tiny tubular blossom. Three 

 distinct forms of these flowers are to be seen. The 

 lower and older ones are conspicuous by their 

 double feathery tails, the next by their extended 

 anthers bearing the pollen at their extremity, and 

 above these again the buds in all stages of growth. 

 These various states are indicated in Fig. 2. 



As in all the Compositae, the anthers are here 

 united in a tube, the pollen being discharged within. 



68 



