122 



THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



above the surface of the ground un- 

 aided, but it loves to grow in bushy 

 places, where its slender steins can 

 push their way amongst the twigs and 

 branches, and its long lanceolate leaves 

 catch hold and help it to climb. 



The flowers in all this family of 

 plants are produced in a peculiar man- 

 ner, forming what is known as the 

 cymose infloresence. The first flower 

 to expand is produced at the extreme 

 point of the stem ; but underneath it 

 are formed two branches of equal size, 

 each in the same manner bearing a 

 solitary flower, but likewise bifurcating 

 into two branches, and so on, till the 

 flower-bearing strength is exhausted. 

 When fully and equally developed, the 

 cyme, commencing with one flower, 

 then produces two, then four, eight, 

 sixteen, &c, which may be all expanded 

 at the same time. But it is rarely 

 found developed in this perfectly sym- 

 metrical style, for frequently one of 

 the lateral branches is weakly and 

 ceases to grow, whilst the other in- 

 creases in strength at its expense. A 

 similar mode of growth was reprobated 

 by the older herbalists, and certain 

 plants were called herha impia, as the 

 children were considered lacking in 

 filial respect because they overtopped 

 the parent stem, The flowers of the 

 stitchwort are borne on long, hair-like 

 peduncles. The calyx is composed of 

 five green sepals with narrow, white, 

 scarious margins. The petals are five, 



but they are so deeply cloven that they 

 look like ten ; it is only when they are 

 removed singly that their true charac- 

 ter is seen. They are of the purest 

 white, and when fully expanded the 

 corolla measures three-quarters of an 

 inch in diameter. The stamens are 

 ten, inserted on a disk at the end of 

 the ovary, each with a honey-gland at 

 the base. There are five long and five 

 short, the five short ones opposite the 

 base of the petals, and the five long 

 ones alternating between them. The 

 anthers are large, of a carmine colour, 

 and slightly attached at the back to 

 the top of the filaments ; they are pro- 

 terandrous, i.e. they are mature, and 

 shed their pollen before the stigma is 

 ready to receive it — at least, this is 

 true of the longer stamens which ripen 

 first, and partially so of the lesser 

 stamens. There are only three styles 

 surmounting the ovary, which is large, 

 containing a great number of seeds, 

 which are attached to a central column 

 and quite free from the outer wall of 

 the capsule, which, when mature, opens 

 by six teeth at the apex and allows the 

 numerous seeds to fall out. It is evi- 

 dent that the stitchwort has made con- 

 siderable advances towards complete 

 insect fertilization; its large white cor- 

 olla makes it conspicuous, especially 

 at dusk, to night-flying insects. There 

 is also a slight attempt, most marked 

 in the earlier stages of the flower, to 

 form a tube suitable for long-tongued 



