Gr. M. Thomson. — On the Fertilization of Flowering Plants. 211 



ready to spring up when touched. I do not know whether similarly- 

 sensitive stigmas are found in the two species of Mimulus which occur in 

 this colony. In both our naturalized forms, M. luteus and M. moschatus 

 (the common musk-plant), self-fertilization is prevented by such a contri- 

 vance. I have not seen any description of the fertilization of these flowers 

 (though I believe they have been described), and therefore will record here 

 my own observations on the former species, as they may be suggestive to 

 anyone observing our indigenous species. I may mention that very beauti- 

 ful hybrid forms of this species have gone wild in Eoss Creek, in the 

 neighbourhood of Dunedin. In their new habitat they have attained 

 immense growth, forming thick succulent stems an inch and more 

 in diameter and frequently three feet long. It was on the flowers 

 of these plants that my observations were made. The style is a 

 good deal longer than the longer pan- of stamens, and ends in a two-lobed 

 stigma, formed of two flat plates, which are viscid on their inner faces (fig. 3, 

 pi. X.). The upper of these lobes stands against the corolla-tube, the lower 

 hangs over, and is in the way of any large insect entering the flower. This 

 lower lobe is sensitive to a touch, not springing up rapidly however, but 

 taking from five to fifteen seconds to close against the upper plate. In the 

 course of half an hour or less, if no pollen is placed on it, it opens again. 

 If, however, pollen from another flower be placed on it, it closes firmly 

 against the upper plate, with which it remains in contact for many hours. 

 On opening again it is no longer sensitive, and the corolla soon after withers. 

 It is quite evident that if a bee or other large insect enter the flower with- 

 out poUen on its head, it is almost certain to come into contact with the 

 lower stigmatic lobe, which will then close up, but only to open again in a 

 short time. In order to get at the honey in the bottom of the flower however, 

 the insect pushes past the anthers, which would probably dust its head with 

 pollen. On visiting a second flower, it again comes in contact with the 

 stigma, but this time leaves some pollen on it, and thus secures fertilization. 



M. moschatus, the common musk plant, shows the same u-ritable stigma. 



Veronica. The species of this genus, though hermaphrodite, and not 

 nearly so irregular as other flowers of the order, are probably all unfitted 

 for self-fertilization. From this statement I must except some of the small 

 herbaceous European species. In our species the anthers are more or less 

 proterandrous, and their filaments diverge widely as they dehisce, while the 

 style projects forward quite out of the flower. 



F. traversii — which I have only seen in cultivation — produces immense 

 numbers of white, very conspicuous flowers, which have a little honey 

 but no scent. On bright days they are visited by great numbers of insects, 

 chiefly Hymenoptera and Diptera. 



