Wild Flowers as They Grow 



ovary honey is hidden and carefully protected by 

 stiff hairs growing on the stamens. Now when the 

 bud first opens we have a drooping bell with the 

 ovary column stretching a good way out beyond it, 

 its end being particularly sticky. When the " middle- 

 sized humble bees " come to the flower they are 

 bound at once to strike it with their probably pollen- 

 dusty bodies, and so leave pollen sticking upon it. 

 It is particularly sensitive to pollen influence, and 

 within an hour of receiving it, it wiU turn brown, 

 wither, and eventually drop off, its function ful- 

 filled. The bee dives into the bell after the honey, 

 but in the earHest hours of the flower's life the 

 pollen boxes are closed and pressed against the petal 

 wall. But in a neighbouring flower matters may 

 have progressed farther ; the stamen heads have 

 come out towards the centre and opened, and the fila- 

 ments have lengthened so that they are well at the 

 mouth of the bell. Here the bee collects — ^inadvert- 

 ently, it is true — ^poUen, as weU as honey, to impinge 

 later upon the sticky stigma of a younger flower. 



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