ENTOMOPHILOUS FLOWERS 



129 



Fig. 112.— Bakas (A tihtztoda 

 I'asicn) 



lip, are usually pollinated by bees. In consequence 

 of a bend in the tube (a) the bee is prevented from 

 going right down into the corolla-tube, as it does in 

 Goldfussia. Thus forced to remain upon the plat- 

 form, it uncoils its long pro- 

 boscis and sends this down 

 for honey. While thus exert- 

 ing itself, it presses upon the 

 bend, and thereby the lower 

 lip is moved slightly down- 

 wards. This does not move 

 the upper lip, stiffened as it 

 is by three longitudinal folds 

 along its back, but moves the 

 stamens (st) from the upper 

 lip and makes them come 



forcibly in contact with the back of the insect. The 

 style (pistil), which is not yet mature, for the flowers 

 are protandrous, is held firmly in a groove of the 

 upper lip, but on ripening it leaves this groove and 

 curves downwards into the tube of the corolla, and 

 the stigma comes in contact 

 with the pollen-covered back 

 of a bee which had pre- 

 viously visited a younger 

 flower with mature stamens. 

 The lower lip is also marked 

 with red bands and nectar- 

 guides which unmistakably 

 point to the honey-cham- 

 ber. 



Fig. 1 13 represents a flower closely allied to bakas, 

 and also protandrous like the latter, c has a ripe 

 pistil in the position of shorter stamens of A, and B 



has a ripe pistil in the position of the longer stamens 

 (0 946) 10 



