II SCROPHULARIACE^ 307 



pistil, hanging to it, however, for some time. As the 

 stamens are inserted on the corolla, the result of this is 

 that the anthers are almost sure to touch the stigma, 

 and thus, in the absence of insect visits, to fertilise the 

 flower. The leaves are glabrous and shining. 



V. nigrum. — The filaments are clothed with bright 

 purple hairs. The flowers are homogamous ; they secrete 

 nectar, but very sparingly. The uppermost stamen is 

 the shortest, the two lowest are the longest. The 

 anthers open outwards. The pistil is somewhat shorter 

 than the lowest stamens, but generally bent a little 

 downwards, so that an insect visiting the flower would 

 generally touch it first. According to Gaertner, con- 

 firmed by Darwin, the plant is absolutely sterile to its 

 own pollen. The leaves are pubescent above, tomentose 

 below. The seeds are brown, subquadrate, obtuse at 

 both ends, with wavy longitudinal and transverse 

 ridges, between which are deep oblong pits. They are 

 light, and readily adhere to any surface with which they 

 come into contact. 



V. Lychnitis. — The flowers are homogamous, white, 

 or sometimes pale yellow, without nectar. The stamens 

 are clothed with yellowish, somewhat clubbed hairs. 

 The pistil projects rather beyond the stamens. This 

 species is also sterile to its own pollen. The leaves are 

 pubescent above, shortly tomentose below. 



Antirrhinum (Snapdragon) 



Homogamous bee and humble bee flowers. The 

 upper and under lip close the corolla-tube, but the latter 

 opens by a spring. Nectar is secreted by the base of 

 the ovary. The stamens lie along the upper lip ; they 

 are in pairs, the anthers of the two longer ones lying in 

 front of the others. The anthers deposit their pollen on 

 the back of the bee. We have two species — A. majus 

 is perennial, with large flowers ; A. Orontium annual, 

 with small ones. 



A. majus. — This. is especially a humble bee flower. 

 The corolla is purple, rarely white, with yellow gums. 



