148 



ANGIOSPERMAE—DICOTYLEDONES 



369. P. Chamaebuxus L. (Hildebrand, op. cit. ; Herm. MuUer, ' Alpen- 

 blumen,' pp. 165-8.) — Kerner says that the flowers possess a plum-like odour. 

 Their structure — which was first described by Hildebrand — bears a certain resem- 

 blance to that of some Papilionaceae (Lotus). In both cases the stamens and style 

 lie in the lower part of the horizontal flower, and bend upwards at the tip. Anthers 

 and stigma occupy a laterally compressed chamber (carina), which is only open 

 above, and this is pressed down by an insect visitor in such a way that not only 

 are the anthers themselves pressed against its body, but also a part of the pollen 

 discharged into the surrounding chamber before anthesis. At the same time the 

 stigma is pressed against the under-surface of the visitor — which is probably a bee — 



Fig. 42. Polygala Chamaebuxus^ L. (after Herm. Miiller). A. Flower seen from the side (natural 

 size), B. Flower seen from the front (X 2j). C Flower after removal of the two petaloid sepals, 

 seen from the side. D. The same, seen from above. E. The same, seen from below ( x 3). F. The 

 two petals of the leftside (X2j). (?. Bud, after removal of the sepals (= 5J). H. Mature flower in longi- 

 tudinal section (X 5^). J. Base of flower after removal of the upper sepal, seen from above ( X 7). .?", upper 

 sepal ; j^, lateral sepal ; j\ lower sepal ; ^' lower petal ; p- lateral petal ; p^ upper petal ; 5, spoon ; £, en- 

 trance to the flower ; ^/, adhesive matter on the stigma ; po^ pollen ; ov^ ovary ; gr^ style ; sch^ carina with 

 hinge ^x), 



and perhaps first becomes receptive as a result of the friction. It would seem that 

 either the pollen of the same flower is ineff'ective or the foreign pollen prepotent, 

 cross-pollination being thus ensured. 



Visitors. — Herm. Mtiller — in the Alps — observed 5 humble-bees, in part skg. 

 nectar, in part getting at it by perforating the flower ; also 3 Lepidoptera, skg. nectar, 

 but useless as visitors. Dalla Torre, and also Schletterer, saw Bombus sylvarum 

 L. $ and 5, in the Tyrol. Hoffer (Kosmos, Stuttgart, xvi, 1885) in the Lower Alps 

 (Steiermark) noticed the following Apidae. — 



