184 



COLOURS OF FLOWERS AS A MEANS OF AITRACTING ANIMALS. 



(Richardia cethiopica, Anthurivmh Scherzeriamom), and the Bromeliacese {Nidu- 

 laria, Lamprococcus, Pitcairnia). In some Proteacese, e.g. Protea globosa, the 

 uppermost foliage-leaves are grouped into a large outer envelope which surrounds 

 the spherical golden-yellow inflorescence, and these crowded leaves are coloured 



Fig. 252.— Colour-contrasts in Mowers. 



1 Umbellate raceme of Lobularia nummularicefoUa with flowers and young fruits. 2 A single young flower of the same plant. 

 8 A young fruit of the same plant with two of the enlarged white petals attached to it. ■* Flower spike of Lavandula 

 Stoechas ending in a crest of empty blue bracts. 5 Umbellate raceme of Alyssum cuneatum with young flat open flowers 

 in the centre and old closed flowers at the circumference, fi Petal of a young flatly-opened flower of the same plant. 

 ? Petal of an old closed flower of the same plant, s Raceme of Muscari comosum ; the upper long-stalked flowers crowded 

 into a head are sterile. ^ Inflorescence of Tri/olium badium; the upper young flowers are light yellow, the old lower 

 drooping flowers are dark brown, lo a branch from the inflorescence of Balimocnemis mollissima; the erect bladder-like 

 appendages of the anthers protrude from the insignificant perianth and look like petals. "■ A single stamen of Balimoc- 

 nemis mollissima ; the connective rises above the anther in the form of a bladder-shaped appendage. 12 inflorescence of 

 Cornus fiorida surrounded by four large white bracts, is Cornflower (Centaurea Cyarnts); the small flowers of the disc 

 are surrounded by large funnel-shaped sterile flowers. 1* Raceme of Eemera saxatilis ; the ovaries in the centre of the 

 old flowers are darkly coloured and surrounded by the enlarged petals, is Inflorescence of the umbelliferous Orlaya 

 grandijlora; the peripheral flowers radiate outwards, i^ a single radiating flower of the same plant. 1*^ Umbellate 

 raceme of the Candytuft {Iberis amara); the outwardly-directed petals of the peripheral flowers are twice as large as 

 those which are turned towards the centre of the inflorescence. ^, s, i* are somewhat magnified ; the others natural size. 



blue in contrast to the lower, scantier foliage, which has a grass-green colour, in 

 order that the inflorescence should stand out the better. Even the stalks of flowers 

 and inflorescences whan brilliantly coloured may be seen from a distance and so 



