Wild Flowers as They Grow 



narrows, and they lie upon the lower side. Their 

 anthers are open on their upper surface, and the 

 pollen dust hes exposed upon them. The four 

 stamens form a capital landing stage for bees — a 

 necessary provision since the lower part of the tube 

 recedes. The httle fifth stamen is a cunning dodge 

 of the flower to catch and dust smaller insects, 

 which are apt to fly straight into the petal cavern 

 without first aUghting. 



Soon, however, another column pushes out and 

 grows beyond them. This is the column from the 

 ovary at the remote end of the tube, and it is thickly 

 clothed with tiny hairs, and has its free end divided 

 into two minute branches. All insects approaching 

 the flower, whether flying straight in or alighting, 

 are bound to touch and dust it if they are carrjdng 

 poUen. Since the stamens are first in the field 

 they manage to get their pollen carried off before 

 their own flower's ovary column appears, and since 

 this ultimately projects beyond them, it, in its turn, 

 gets dusted with other pollen before the visiting 



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