LEGUMINOSAE 309 



219. Oxytropis DC. 



Nectar-yielding bee flowers, mostly yellow or violet in colour ; with a simple 

 valvular arrangement. 



722. O. uralensis DC. (=0. Halleri Bunge). (Herm. Muller, ' Alpenblumen,' 

 pp. 232-4.) — A humble-bee which forced the vexillum and alae as far as possible 

 apart with its head would require a proboscis at least 10 mm. long to reach the 

 nectar in this species. As the stigma projects but little beyond the anthers, it gets 

 covered with their pollen, but does not appear to become receptive till a later stage. 



Visitors. — Herm. Miiller saw Bombus mendax Gersl. 5 and 5, skg. 



723. O. Gaudini Reut. — Kirchner (' Beitrage,' p. 44) says that plants of this 

 species growing at Zermatt have the same flower mechanism as O. uralensis, but 

 the calyx-tube is only 4 mm. long, so that even short-tongued bees can reach 

 the nectar. 



724. O. montana DC. (Herm. Muller, ' Alpenblumen,' p. 234.) — In order to 

 reach the nectar of this species a proboscis 8-9 mm. long is necessary : otherwise 

 the flower mechanism agrees with that of O. uralensis. 



Visitors. — Herm. Muller observed a humble-bee and 2 Lepidoptera. 



725. O. lapponica Gaud. (Herm. Muller, 'Alpenblumen,' pp. 234-5.) — As in 

 this species the calyx only surrounds the petals for a distance of 3 mm., the nectar 

 is more readily accessible than in O. montana, with which the flower mechanism 

 otherwise agrees. 



Visitors. — Herm. Miiller only saw Lepidoptera, 2 butterflies and a Zygaena, 

 the latter probably effecting cross-pollination. Lindman observed humble-bees 

 paying short visits on the Dovrefjeld. 



726. O. campestris DC. (Herm. Muller, 'Alpenblumen,' pp. 235-6.) — In 

 this species the calyx-tube is 7-8 mm. long and 3-4 mm. broad. It ensheaths the 

 claws of the petals so closely that a proboscis 11-13 mm. in length is required 

 to reach the nectar. The vexillum possesses a nectar-guide, and the carina a pollen- 

 guide. In other respects the flower mechanism agrees with those of O. uralensis 

 and other species. 



In the Alps the calyx is often perforated by Bombus mastrucatus 5 mm. above 

 its base. Forficula also gnaws through the flowers. 



Visitors. — Herm. Muller observed humble-bees (5) skg. and po-cltg., and 

 Lepidoptera (10), skg., as invited guests. Loew noticed in the Alps (' Beitrage,' 

 p. 62) a humble-bee, Bombus pomorum Pz., var. elegans Seidl. 5, skg., and a 

 butterfly, Argynnis pales S. V. 



Ekstam says that in Nova Zemlia the tolerably odorous flowers are visited by 

 Bombus hyperboreus Sch'unh. and B. nivalis Dahlh.; and also by moderately large 

 flies. 



727. O. pilosa DC. (Herm. Muller, 'Weit, Beob.,' II, pp. 253-4; Loew, 

 Flora, Marburg, Ixxiv, 1891, pp. 84-91, ' Bliitenbiol. Floristik,' pp. 220, 339; Schulz, 

 'Beitrage,' II, p. 269.) — In the flowers of this species observed by Hermann Muller 

 in Thuringia, the calyx ensheaths the petals for a distance of 6 mm. The vexillum 



