308 BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS chap. 



The lower lip has two projections which fit into hollows 

 in the upper lip. It completely closes the entrance, 

 and excludes small insects. Humble bees, however, are 

 able to press it down and creep into the corolla, which 

 they nearly fill, so that their back presses against the 

 open anthers. Bombus terrestris, however, and B. 

 lucorum bite through the base of the corolla, and 

 thus rob the flower of its nectar. The hive bee, accord- 

 ing to Douglas,^ also pierces the corolla for the nectar ; 

 but if only in search of pollen, presses down the door 

 and collects pollen without actually entering. He 

 does not suggest any reason, but is it not possible that 

 if she once entered she might be unable to get out 

 again ? According to Darwin, the red form is self- 

 sterile, the white variety less so. The flowers are some- 

 times " peloric," that is, depart from the characteristic 

 irregular form, becoming regular. The seeds are black 

 or dark brown, oblong ovoid, with high longitudinal 

 ridges. The plant is glabrous, but with the upper part 

 of the stem pubescent and slightly glandular. It is not 

 a native, but occurs as an alien on old walls. 



A. Orontium. — The flowers are much smaller, red or 

 (seldom) white. The arrangement of the flower re- 

 sembles that of A. majus. They are visited by the 

 hive bee as well as by humble bees. The plant is 

 nearly glabrous, or with long spreading glandular hairs. 



LiNARIA 



This genus difl"ers from Antirrhinum chiefly in having 

 the corolla produced into a spur. There are seven 

 British species. The effect of the habit of the plant 

 on the form of the leaf is well shown in this genus. 

 Five species are erect, with upright linear leaves ; three 

 trailing, with ovate, orbicular, or ivy-shaped leaves. 



L. vulgaris (Toadflax). — The flowers are large in a 

 terminal panicle, yellow with an orange palate. The 

 tight closing of the lips and the length of the spur debar 

 all insects excepting bees with a long proboscis from 



' Entoni. Month. Mag. Nov. 1886. 



