184 



COLOUKS OF FLOWEES AS A MEANS OF AITXIACTING ANIMALS. 



(Richardia cethiopica, Anthurium Scherzericmvm), and the Bromeliacese (M(hi- 

 laria, Lamproooccus, Pitcairnia). In some ProteacesB, e.g. Protea gldbosa, the 

 uppermost foliage-leaves are grouped into a large outer envelope which surrounds 

 the spherical golden-yeUow inflorescence, and these crowded leaves are coloured 



Fig. 252.— Colour-contrasts in Flowers. 



1 Umbellate raceme of Lobularia numrmilaricefolia with flowers and young fruits, 2 a single young flower of the same plant. 

 s A young fruit of the same plant with two of the enlarged white petals attached to it. * Flower spike of Lavandula 

 Stoechas ending in a crest of empty blue bracts, s TTmbellate raceme of Alyssum cuneatum with young flat open flowers 

 in the centre and old closed flowers at the circumference. 6 Petal of a young flatly-opened flower of the same plant. 

 5" Petal of an old closed flower of the same plant, s Raceme of Muscari comosum ; the upper long-stalked flowers crowded 

 into a head are sterile. » Inflorescence of TrifoUum badium ; the upper young flowers are light yellow, the old lower 

 drooping flowers are dark brown. 10 a branch from the inflorescence of Halimocnemis mollissima ; the erect bladder-like 

 appendages of the anthers protrude from the insigniflcant perianth and look like petals. 1^ A single stamen of Halimoc- 

 nemis mollissima ; the connective rises above the anther in the form of a bladder-shaped appendage, i* inflorescence of 

 Comusfiorida surrounded by four large white bracts. ^8 Cornflower (Centaurea Cyanus)\ the small flowers of the disc 

 are surrounded by large funnel-shaped sterile flowers. 1* Haceme of Kernera 8axatilis\ the ovaries in the centre of the 

 old flowers are darkly coloured and surrounded by the enlarged petals. ^^ Inflorescence of the umbelliferous Orlaya 

 grandijlora ; the peripheral flowers radiate outwards, ifi A single radiating flower of the same plant, i' ITmbellate 

 raceme of the Candytuft (Iberis amara); the outwardly-directed petals of the peripheral flowers are twice as large as 

 those which are turned towards the centre of the inflorescence. ^, », 11 are somewhat magnified ; the others natural size. 



blue in contrast to the lower, scantier foliage, which has a grass-green colour, in 

 order that the inflorescence should stand out the better. Even the stalks of flowers 

 and inflorescences whan brilliantly coloured may be seen from a distance and so 



