66 LYCHNIS, SILENE, STELLARIA. [chap. 



stages have been already referred to (see Figs. 30 and 

 31). Under these circumstances the butterflies can 

 hardly fail to carry the pollen from the anthers of 

 young flowers to the stigmas of older ones. Flies 

 also visit this species to feed on the pollen, and though 

 they cannot obtain any nourishment from flowers in 

 the latter condition, still they sometimes come to 

 them, apparently by mistake, and, must therefore 

 occasionally fertilise them. This species appears to 

 have lost the power of self-fertilisation. 



I have already referred to Lychnis vespertina 

 and L. diurna in the first chapter. L. Githago, like 

 Dianthus, is adapted to butterflies. It agrees with 

 the flowers of that genus in the narrov/ness of the 

 tube, in the position of the honey, and in being dis- 

 tinctly proterandrous. 



In Silene inflata (the Bladder Campion) there are 

 according to Axell (Om Anord. for de Fan. Vax. Bef. 

 p. 46), three kinds of flowers ; some with stamens only, 

 some with a pistil only, some with both. 



In Stellaria graminea (Fig. 62) the honey-glands 

 are situated at the base of the five outer stamens. 

 The flowers pass through three stages ; firstly, that 

 in which the five outer stamens are mature, and 

 incline towards the middle of the flower. In the 

 second, the five inner stamens are mature. Lastly, 

 the stigmas rise and expand themselves, while the 

 stamens gradually shorten and shrivel up. Before 

 this is accomplished, however, the stigmas have 

 curled over and come into contact with the anthers, 

 so that if the visits of insects are deferred, the flower 

 fertilises itself. Stellaria Holostca is more conspicuoVis, 



