The Betony 



welcome visitors, and the flower's turn to receive 

 benefit. The next bee visitor, if happily this is not 

 the first flower on her calhng list, will rub pollen 

 dust on its knob ; the infinitesimal magic tube 

 from each grain of dust will quickly traverse the 

 column and touch the ovules one by one. Once 

 the passage is accompUshed the column fades, the 

 purple-red petals will fall off, but the calyx will 

 remain faithful. And down in its centre there will 

 develop four brown, smooth, three-cornered nutlets 

 to give hostages to the future. The cycle of life is 

 complete. 



75 



