PHYSIANTHUS ALBEXS. 231 



seeds, comose, adhering to the lamellte of the dissepiment ; twining, 

 herbaceous plants ; leaves, opposite, cordate ; racemes, intei-petiolar, 

 few-flowered, cymose, flowers white. 



It was fii-st introduced about 1830 from the Province of St. Paul, 

 Brazil, but did not become popular. About three rears ago it was 

 brought forward by the enterpi'ising seedsman Peter Hendei'son as the 

 " cruel plant." It well deserves the name, for the moths observed 

 (about sixty) were all caught by their proboscis. They wei-e all of 

 one species ( Plunia Gemma) and remained hanging till tuey died of 

 starvation. 



The hard edges of the eueuHate leaflets are pressed together at 

 the top and are open at the base, and I think have a slight conti-ac- 

 tive movement when touched; certain it is that when the moths try 

 to withdraw their tongue from the nectaries it is caught in the wedge- 

 formed by the meeting of the two edges. If the insect was stronger 

 it might withdraw its tongue, and in so doing the pollen ma.sses 

 would stick to it. and on peneti'ating the next flower, would leave the 

 mass on the stile. My conclusions, so far as I have gone, are that 

 the insect.s so caught cannot aid in cross fertilization. In its native 

 state it is possibly done by humming birds or very large insects. 

 Future observation may show the few pods we get are fertilized in 

 the earlier part of the season by humming-birds or Sphingidce, and 

 I would ask you during the coming season to note carefully our 

 native A. Cornv.ti and Tuherosa and obtain as many specimens as 

 possible. 



