Wild Flowers as They Grow 



the family trait — but which does not enlarge at 



the throat as that of some of its relatives does. 



Probably the length of the tube is not too great for 



an ordinary bee to drink the honey easily from the 



lip, so there is no need for enlargement to allow the 



insect to press farther in. The lower lip forms the 



usual three-lobed platform for its accommodation. 



It is a flower with two stages in its life. When it first 



opens its lips to the world its four stamens — they lie 



in two pairs snugly protected under the arching 



upper lip — are quite prepared to act, and directly a 



bee comes in their vicinity they give her a good 



dusting of pollen. But low down in the tube the 



receiving column of the immature seeds is pla5mig 



a waiting game and keeping quite in the background ; 



not until those pollen boxes above have got rid 



of their pollen does it wish to be in the running. 



The second stage comes directly this is done and 



visitors have carried the pollen dust away, for then 



it begins to grow and push well forward into the 



very mouth of the flower. Now it is its turn to 



74 



