168 



BRITISH FLOWEKINU PLANTS 



consists of a single row of short hairs pointing outwards. 

 That on the outer side widens towards the stigma, three- 

 quarters of which they surround, and from which they 

 stand out straight, thus forming a sort of flat plate. 

 The longest hairs are in the centre. Access to the honey 

 is more difficult than in V. Cracca, and possible only 

 to powerful bees such as Bombus and Anthophora. 

 B. terresti'is, therefore, often bites through the base of 

 the flower. The plant creeps about in shady places 

 and among leaves, and the lower part of the stem, which 

 is often covered up, is very weak and thin. 



Lathyrus (Pea) 



In this beautiful genus nearly every species ofl'ers 

 some special point of interest. The general arrangement 

 of the flower has been already described (see ante, p. 148). 



Fig. 112. 



Figs. 112, 113. — Stipules of Ln/hi/rus marilimus. IJ nat. size. In Fig. 113 one 

 of tlie stipule.s is turned back, revealing the rest of tlie leaf and bud. 



The stipules difi'er much : they are (1) large and leaf-like, 

 or (2) narrow and sagittate, or (3) narrow and semi- 

 sagittate, or (4) absent. 



Lathyrus maritimus belongs to the first category. 

 The stipules (Fig. 112) are large, foliaceous, and develop 

 early. 



In L. grandiflorus (Fig. 114) they are small, half- 



