RUDBECKIA FULGIDA.—BRILLIANT CONE-FLOWER. 59 
-same general principles exist. What are called the scales of 
the receptacle are really floral bracts, which in some cases are 
wholly obliterated in the drawing in of the spiral coil to form 
the compound head. In this genus /udbeckia these scales or 
bracts are very prominent in the centre of the flower, and it is 
not till the divisions of the little florets are ready to expand that 
we see them above the tips of the scales. Again in some com- 
posites that have a sort of spicate habit, the plant will complete 
its growth before any flowers expand, and then it commences 
the blossoming from the top downwards; while others flower 
from below upwards as the flower shoot grows. ‘These varying 
phases of growth also have a counterpart in these single heads. 
Sometimes there is more activity in the centre of the flower than 
in the circumference, and these varying phases make differences 
in the sexual characters. In some it results in giving the ray 
florets an advantage; in Rudbeckia the ray will be found quite 
barren, rarely producing the vestige of a pistil, and no sign of a 
stamen; while the central or disk florets are perfectly herma- 
phrodite, and alone bear perfect seed. 
The development of the florets in our present species, 7. 
fulgida, is very interesting. The corolla appears to be forced 
open by the growth of the pistil, which as it elongates, pushes 
on before it an immense quantity of beautiful yellow pollen. 
The first knowledge we have of the opening of the flower is 
from the appearance of this pollen through the divisions of the 
corolla. This profusion of pollen seems very welcome to a 
large number of insects, is collected at once, and so completely 
that it is only by putting a flower under protection that the 
pretty little crown of yellow can be seen and the progress of the 
opening florets traced. When it is remembered that a single 
grain of pollen is sufficient to fertilize a single ovule, which 
finally becomes the seed, one is lost in wonder that so much 
effort should be spent on its production, It may be in some 
way connected with the plant’s own good, or it may be the 
result of a far-reaching Omnipotence making the plant work for 
