TflE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



173 



of the perianth is united into a tube 4 

 there is a most decided distinction in 

 the size and shape of its differents parts. 

 The representative of the calyx is com- 

 posed of three very large reflexed 

 yellow petaloid leaves, forming the 

 most conspicuous part of the flower, 

 they are fully two inches long by an 

 inch in breadth. They are reflexed or 

 rolled back, which gives the peculiar 

 appearance to the flower as a whole. 

 They are generally bright yellow, al- 

 though pale, almost white varieties 

 occur ; there is usually a darker orange 

 spot at the base of the broad limb and 

 from it numerous purple lines may be 

 traced converging down into the tube 

 of the flower. These are very obvious 

 honey guides, for considerable stores of 

 nectar are secreted at the bottom of 

 the tube. Alternating with the showy 

 calyx, but differing immensely in size, 

 is the corolla, the individual petals are 

 scarcely a third of the length, and not 

 a quarter the breadth of the sepals. 

 They stand erect, or rather converge 

 towards the centre of the flower, the 

 reason for this position will be obvious 

 when the whole anatomy of the flower is 

 considered. The three stamens spring 

 one from the base of each sepal, 

 they are remarkable for the size and 

 beauty of the anthers ; before they open 

 they are almost half-an-inch in length, 

 of a lovely violet-blue colour. When 

 mature they dehisce by two longitudi- 

 nal slits along the back, which is the 



nearest the sepals and therefore away 

 from the centre of the flower. The 

 pistil has nothing to equal it amongst 

 our native plants, from the top of the 

 ovary rises a solitary style, which soon 

 divides into three pestal-like organs, 

 indeed, in the plant under consideration 

 they are considerably larger than the 

 true petals, and quite as brightly 

 coloured. They stand opposite the 

 sepals and are reflexed in the same 

 way, hence they curve over and over- 

 shadow the stamens, which are thus 

 enclosed in a tubular arch formed by 

 the sepals and styles. The tips of the 

 styles are fimbriated, that is, cut up 

 like a fringe, and they reach to 

 the commencement of the already 

 described purple lines on the sepals. 

 A short distance beneath the tip of 

 the style on the side next the stamen 

 is a curious tongue-like flap, and 

 immediately below it on a level with 

 the top of the anther is the stigmatic 

 surface which receives the pollen. The 

 whole flower forms an admirably 

 specialised contrivance for insect 

 fertilisation, which is accomplished by 

 such large insects as the humble bees, 

 who alone are able to force an entrance, 

 or furnished with a proboscis sufficient- 

 ly long to reach the bottom of the 

 nectariferous tube. To briefly recap- 

 itulate the salient points, we have the 

 large showy flowers raised above the 

 level of the leaves as an alluring signal 

 to attract roving insects, and leading 



