124 



ERICA. 



[chap. 



opening. But though this opening is at the lower 

 end of the anther cells, the pollen cannot fall out, 

 because each cell, just where the opening is situated, 

 rests against the next anther cell, and the series of 

 anthers thus form a circle surrounding the pistil and not 

 far from the centre of the bell. Each anther cell also 



i>r- 



Fig. 93. — Flower of Erica tetralix. 



Fig 94. — Stamen of ditto. 



sends out a long process {pr, pr), which thus form 

 a series of spokes, standing out from the circle of 

 anthers. Under these circumstances, a bee endea- 

 vouring to suck the honey from the nectary cannot 

 fail firstly to bring its head in contact with the viscid 

 stigma (Fig. 93, si) and thus to deposit upon it any 



