3i6 



ANGIOSPERMAE—DICOTYLEDONES 



The flower is slightly asymmetrical, the vexillum being twisted a little to the 

 right at its base, and the left ala to the left. Of the two longitudinal alar folds,, 

 that on the left is the deeper. The right ala is nearly perpendicular, or curved 

 somewhat to the left. The front ends of the filaments are also somewhat twisted 

 to the left. 



Stigma and anthers being close together, automatic self-pollination is inevitable. 

 Cross-pollination can be eifected by insects. 



Visitors. — Kirchner (Wurtemburg) and myself (Schleswig-Holstein) have 

 observed the honey-bee. It introduces its proboscis normally as if about to suck, 

 and therefore possibly bores for sap in the base of the flower. Kirchner also saw 

 Meligethes. MacLeod noticed Apis and Eristalis tenax L. in Flanders (Bot. Jaarb. 

 Dodonaea, Ghent, vi, 1894, p. 380). 



Fig. 10-'. Hippocrepis comosa^ L. (after Herm. Muller). A. Flower seen from the side ( X 4). 

 B. Tlie same, seen from the front. C. Flower after removal of the vexillum and the upper part of the 

 calyx ; seen from above ( X 7). C and C-. Lower part of the vexillar claw, with the plate that closes 

 the nectar-passages. D. The same flower, after removal of the alae. E. Right ala, seen from the 

 inside. F. Carina, seen from the side. G. The same in section, more strongly magnified, a, anthers- 

 ca, calyx ; e, alar process, fitting into carinal pit (/) ; ex, tip of carina ; y" andy, vexillar lamina and claw - 

 fa, alar fold, fitting into carinal groove (/a') ; Ji, filaments ; Ji and^', alar lamina and claw; h, nectar- 

 passage ; o, upper free filament; po, pollen; J and s', carinal lamina and claw; st, stigma; v, 

 staminal tube. 



223. Hippocrepis L. 



Yellow nectar-yielding bee flowers, with pumping arrangement extruding threads 

 of pollen. 



750. H. comosa L. (Herm. Muller, ' Alpenblumen,' pp. 252-4.) — Hermann 

 Muller says that the flower mechanism agrees essentially with that of Lotus. The 

 union of alae and carina, however, is much firmer, for each of the former possesses 

 a fold and a deep saccular process, which fit into corresponding carinal depressions. 



