Pollination and Fertilisation 



155 



unfulfilled promise of stamens. What is the flower to do with- 

 out pollen ? 



A little farther on we come to another similar bush, but the 

 flowers are borne in cymose corymbs. Below the flower is no 

 sign of an ovary, but between the petals are four perfect 

 stamens. Here is indeed a division of labour ! You will 

 seldom find one bush without coming to another close by. 



Clijfortia is another common bush often with sharp- 

 pointed leaves. It has two kinds of flowers. Dr. Kolbe tells 



us to look for the staminate flowers 

 in the direction of the prevailing 

 winds. You may have to go far 

 afield before finding them. They 

 have long slender stamens. The 

 stigmas are long and feathery, and 

 you can find no honey glands. 



Fig. 154. — Melon. I. [distillate. 

 " South African Flowering Plants ".) 



II. Staminate flowe 



(From Henslow's 



The Silver Tree {Lfiicadendron argeiiteum, R. Br.) and its 

 more humble relatives, which make the veld bright in spring with 

 their pale yellow leaves and bracts, have also their flowers of 

 two kinds on separate trees or shrubs. Sometimes the different 

 species grow so sociably that it is difficult to decide which 

 pistillate and staminate flowers grow together, as is true also of 

 the Resiiacea. 



The Pumpkin family has large yellow flowers. Some of 

 them open for a day and their glory is departed. They con- 

 tain stamens. Hidden sometimes beneath the foliage are 

 flowers, with large ovaries below, which were wanting in the 



