58 



THE COLOURS OF FLOWERS. 



especially in the more highly-developed species, their 

 flowers are red, blue, or purple. TricJionema Buibo- 

 codium is purplish-blue with a yellow centre. Our 

 two native crocuses {C. vermis and C. niidijiorus) are 

 also purple. SisyrincJiium Berumdianum is a delicate 

 blue. Gladiolus comiminis is brilliant crimson. Iris 

 fcetidissiina (Fig. 22) is violet. Our own Amaryllids 

 are white or primrose, but brilliant reds and purples, 



Fir.. 21. — FI )v,cr of fritillary {Fritiliaria Mcleag^rs); \n\r\Ac, spotted with whitt;. 



as well as highly-developed spotted types, are common 

 amongst the cultivated exotics. 



The Orchidacece stand at the head of the cntomo- 

 philous Monocotyledons by virtue of their inferior 

 ovary, their irregular flowers, and their extraordinary 

 adaptations to insect fertilization. Purples are the 

 prevailing ground-tones ; but in the commonness of 

 variegation and of specialized lines or spots of colour 

 the Orchids answer closely to the ScrophularineiC 



