7oO The Botanical Gazette. [March, 
pears with a pair of leaves and rises on a scape only a few 
centimetres above the ground. Owing to a bend in the 
scape, the flower looks outward and downward, or directly 
downward. The divisions of the perianth are white, tinged 
with purplish exteriorly, and marked with yellow at the base 
within, especially the three petals, which hold nectar on the 
bases of their claws. At base the divisions are closely ap- 
proximated, forming a tube about 15 mm. in length, and 
making the nectar hard to reach except by insects with long 
tongues ; beyond they are directed outward and downward, 
or may be expanded horizontally so that the flower measures 
65 mm. across, or they may be so strongly reflexed that theit 
tips meet, as in the case of plants growing in rich bottom soil. 
The anthers of the three outer, shorter stamens dehisce 
first. At this time, if an insect come with pollen, it will 
leave some upon the stigma, which is somewhat in advance 
of the dehiscent anthers; otherwise, it may effect self-pollina- 
tion. Cross-fertilization may readily occur at any time, but 
when the inner anthers dehisce, they may easily leave some 
of their pollen upon the stigma, since they usually surpass the 
stigma a little. Accordingly, in absence of insects, I think 
that self-pollination commonly occurs. 
The pendulous position of the flower has the effect of re 
stricting the visitors almost exclusively to bees, since they 
can readily cling to the stamens and style. The first flowers, 
which appear before flower insects become common, alt 
visited almost exclusively by hive-bees. : th 
For the attention of insects the plant is in competition will 
Anemanella thalictroides, Isopyrum biternatum, San uinarla 
Canadensis, Viola palmata, Claytonia Virginica and Dentarla 
laciniafa. _ Competition with Claytonta is most severe; I ue 
found it difficult to collect the visitors of Erythronium untl 
afternoon, after the flowers of the Claytonia had closed. 
I have found the plant in bloom from Mar. 17 to Apt. a 
me 13 days, between Apr. 7 and 19, I saw the flowers visite 
Yie= 
Hymenoptera —A pidae: (1) Apis mellifica L. %, s. and ¢: ae 
ab.; (2) Bombus virginicus Oliv. 9, s., one; (3) Ceratina ni 
Say 4, s.; (4) Osmia atriventris Cr. 4, s., ab.; (5) O. alba 
ris Cr. 89, s., ab.; (6) O. lignaria Say 4, s.; (7) O. latitars os 
Cr. 4, s.; (8) Nomada luteola Lep. 4, s., ab.; Andrenidae: Q is 
Andrena bicolor F. 89, s., ab.; (10) A. sayi Rob. é, s-5 (11) & 
