NYCTAGINEAE 329 



745. Pison Plum. 



2411. P. hirtella H. B. et K. — Delpino (' Altri appar. dicog. recent, oss.') says 

 that this species is protogynous. The stigmas project some millimetres from the 

 flower during the first stage of anthesis, and the anthers during the second stage. 



746. Neea Ruiz et Pav. 



2412. N. theifera Oerst. — This species, according to Warming (Bot. Tids., 

 Kjobenhavn, ii, 1877) and Oersted (Bot. Ztg., Leipzig, xxvii, 1869, pp. 217-24), is 

 diclinous. 



LXXXV. ORDER ILLECEBRACEAE R.BR, 

 (including Paronychieae St. Hib., and Scleranthaceae Lindl.). 

 Flowers very small, homogamous ; often cleistogamous or pseudocleistogamous. 



747. Herniaria L. 



Small inconspicuous flowers, with exposed nectar secreted in the base of the 

 flower. 



2413. H. glabra L. (Herm. Miiller, ' Weit. Beob.,' II, pp. 223-4; Schulz, 

 ' Beitrage,' II, p. 74.) — Even though the minute yellow flowers of this species are 

 apetalous, they are conspicuous at some distance because many are associated. 

 Hermann Miiller slates that half of the ten stamens are vestigial and devoid of 

 anthers. The bases of the filaments are united to form a ring which secretes nectar 

 from its inner surface, and surrounds the base of the style. Soon after the flowers 

 open the anthers dehisce and turn their pollen-covered surfaces inwards. The two 

 styles still lie together, but their upper ends are already beginning to diverge, and the 

 stigmas are already receptive, so that automatic self-pollination may take place. 

 When the anthers have shed all their pollen the styles diverge widely. Should insects 

 visit the flowers, cross-pollination is favoured. According to Schulz, the styles 

 usually diverge, even while the horizontal anthers are dehiscing, so that automatic 

 self-pollination is almost inevitable. 



Visitors. — In accordance with the small size of the flower, these are minute 

 flies, Ichneumonids, ants, and beetles (Schulz). 



Herm. Miiller saw an ant (Myrmica levinodis Nyl. 5) nect-lkg., visiting numerous 

 flowers one after the other, and so eff'ecting cross-pollination. 



2414. H. alpina Vill. — Kirchner describes this species as homogamous, and 

 automatic self-pollination may readily take place. 



2415. H. hirsuta L. — This species also, according to Delpino, is homogamous 

 Automatic self-pollination is inevitable as the anthers lie upon the stigmas. 



748. lUecebrum Rupp. 



2416. I. verticillatum L. — Warming states that the silver-white cartilaginous 

 bracts of this species contain air-conducting tracheides. Automatic self-pollination 



