LEGUMINOSAE 333 



Herm. Miiller saw a humble-bee and a Lepidopterid in the Alps, and von 

 Dalla Torre in the Tyrol noticed the bee Xylocopa violacea L. 5. Schletterer 

 records the latter for the Alps, and Polistes gallica L. for Pola. 



Lindman saw a Lepidopterid in Scandinavia ; and MacLeod observed Bombus 

 sylvarum L. j and J, in Flanders (Bot. Jaarb. Dodonaea, Ghent, vi, 1894, p. 364)- 



Apis, 3 humble-bees and a saw-fly have been recorded for Dumfriesshire (Scott- 

 Elliot, 'Flora of Dumfriesshire,' p. 51). 



Only bees are able to effect pollination. Lepidoptera are no doubt able to 

 suck the nectar by means of their slender proboscis, but cannot liberate the flower 

 mechanism. 



Schulz observed flowers perforated by humble-bees. 



782. L. maritimus Bigel. (Knuth, ' Bl. u. Insekt. a. d. nordfr. Ins.,' pp. 64-5, 

 153, ' Weit. Beob. ii. Bl. u. Insekt. a. d. nordfr. Ins.,' p. 233.) — I was originally of 

 the opinion that in this species self-fertilization is possible even in the bud. It 

 appears, however, that though the stigma is from the first surrounded with the pollen 

 of the same flower, cross-pollination is ensured by insect-visits. For the said 

 pollen does not adhere to the stigma, which only becomes receptive after an insect 

 has rubbed against it. 



The mechanism essentially agrees with that of L. pratensis. The large brightly 

 coloured blossoms are associated in racemes of 5-8 flowers. The erect vexillum 

 is violet in colour with darker veins ; it is 2 cm. long, and its upper part about 

 1^ cm. broad. At the junction of claw and lamina there is a process 3 mm. long, 

 which fits into corresponding alar folds, so that complete union is effected. The 

 violet alae (r cm. long, with lamina 5 mm. broad) interlock in their turn with 

 carinal depressions. They escape from the vexillum when depressed by insect 

 visitors, diverging so that the stigma first protrudes, and afterwards the pollen- 

 covered stylar brush. The two alar processes interlock so firmly with corresponding 

 depressions in the carina that they are not separated during insect-visits. Hence, 

 when the pressure is removed, the margins of the alae resume their original position, 

 and this movement is furthered by the stiff claws of the carina. The latter is bent 

 almost at right angles ; externally it is bright violet in colour, but white elsewhere ; 

 its boat-shaped region is 8 mm. long, and its claws of about the same length. The 

 two carinal petals are fused along the whole of their ventral margins ; above they 

 gape a little, but are covered by the overlapping alae. The staminal tube is about 

 I cm. long, and the free part of the filaments about the same length. 



Pollination is effected by long-tongued bees (humble-bees). These hold on 

 to the flower in the way already described, and suck the nectar secreted at the 

 usual place. Lepidoptera play the part of nectar-thieves, and do not operate 

 the flower mechanism. I observed perforated flowers in the Island of Fohr ; there 

 was a hole in the alar claw probably made by short-tongued humble-bees. 



Visitors. — In Fohr and Sylt, I saw more particularly 5 species of humble-bee 

 and 3 Lepidoptera, the latter being unbidden guests. 



Loew observed the following bees in the Berlin Botanic Garden. — i. Bombus 

 agrorum F. 5, skg. ; 2. B. hortorum L. 5, do.; 3. B. lapidarius L. 5, do.; 4. B. 

 pratorum L. 5, do. 



