206 BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS chap. 



Hydrocotyle 



Small white flowers with exposed honey, united in a 

 simple head or umbel. 



H. vulgaris. — The anthers open one after the other, 

 but the stigmas are ripe before the last have shed their 

 pollen, so that the flower is capable of self-fertilisation. 

 The pollen is pale yellow, forming a pyramid or a double 

 pyramid about 25 /j, long and 18 /a broad. 



Sanicula 



S. europaea. — The flowers in difl"erent localities appear 

 to differ considerably. According to H. Mtiller there 

 are 1-3 complete protandrous flowers in the centre of 

 the umbel, surrounded by 10-20 later-developing male 

 flowers. Schulz, on the contrary, found male flowers 

 in the centre of the umbels. Kerner and Francke 

 describe the complete flowers as protogynous, but 

 Kerner agrees with Miiller that the older flowers in the 

 middle of the umbels are complete. The stigmas are so 

 long that it is possible for them to touch the anthers 

 of neighbouring flowers. The flowers are principally 

 visited by small flies and beetles. 



Astrantia 



White or reddish flowers with concealed honey. Of 

 this beautiful genus one species, A. major, a native of 

 Central and South Europe, has become naturalised in 

 woods in Heiefordshire. Besides the complete flowers, 

 male flowers occur either on the same umbel (andromo- 

 noecious) or on diff'erent plants (androdicecious). The 

 bracts are white and shining like broad silvery plates, 

 reminding one very much of some of the simple and 

 pretty Norwegian peasant jewellery. Almost every head 

 contains a few outer complete and central male flowers, 

 which are somewhat later in coming to maturity. 

 According to Kerner the complete flowers are proto- 

 gynous, and may be fertilised by neighbouring male 

 flowers. 



