CompositiV zMjjiners 



At the base of this anther-tube rises the pistil, 

 which gradually elongates, and like a piston forces 

 out the pollen at the top. Small insects, in creep- 

 ing over the cone, quickly dislodge it. In the next 

 stage the anthers have withered, the flower-tube 

 elongated, and the top of the two-parted pistil 

 begins to protrude, and at length expands its tips, 

 disclosing at the centre the stigmatic surface, which 



Fig. 2. 



has until now been protected by close contact, 

 as shown in the section at the right of Fig. 2. 



A glance at Fig. 2 will reveal the plan involved. 

 The ring of pollen is inevitably scattered to the 

 stigmas of the neighboring flowers, and cross-fertil- 

 ization continually insured. Similar contrivances 

 are to be found in most of the Compositae, through 

 the same method being variously applied. 



69 



