Chap. VIII. ONONIS. 325 



this is not the case, according to Von Mohl, with the 

 cleistogamic flowers of other Leguminosse. Five of 

 the stamens are destitute of anthers, and alternate with 

 the five thus provided. The two cells of the anthers 

 are minute, rounded and separated from one another 

 by connective tissue ; they contain but few pollen-grains, 

 and these have extremely delicate coats. The pistil is 

 hook-shaped, with a plainly enlarged stigma, which is 

 curled down, towards the anthers; it therefore differs 

 much from that of the perfect flower. During the year 

 1867 no perfect flowers were produced, but in the fol- 

 lowing year there were both perfect and cleistogamic 

 ones. 



Ononis minutissima. — My plants produced both per- 

 fect and cleistogamic flowers; but I did not examine 

 the latter. Some of the former were crossed with pollen 

 from a distinct plant, and six capsules thus obtained 

 yielded on an average 3.66 seeds, with a maximum of 

 5 in one. Twelve perfect flowers were marked and al- 

 lowed to fertilise themselves spontaneously under a net, 

 and they yielded eight capsules, containing on an av- 

 erage 3.38 seeds, with a maximum of 3 in one. Fifty- 

 three capsules produced by the cleistogamic flowers con- 

 tained on an average 4.1 seeds, so that these were the 

 most productive of all ; and the seeds themselves looked 

 finer even than those from the crossed perfect flowers. 

 According to Mr. Bentham, 0. parviflora likewise bears 

 cleistogamic flowers ; and he informs me that these flow- 

 ers are produced by all three species early in the spring ; 

 whilst the perfect ones appear afterwards, and therefore 

 in a reversed order compared with those of Viola and 

 Oxalis. Some of the species, for instance Ononis co- 

 lumnce, bear a fresh crop of cleistogamic flowers in the 

 autumn. 



Lathyrus nissolia apparently offers a case of the flrst 



