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JAN. 1907. WISCONSIN FLOWERS AND THEIR POLLINATION. 27 
after opening the perianth-segments spread horizontally so as to 
give the flower a diameter of lo to ii cm., but later the tips of 
the segments become reflexed. At the base the segments 
are closely approximated for a length of about 3 cm., 
and form a bell-shaped portion of 5 mm. diameter at the bottom. 
This space is nearly entirely occupied by the ovary and the fila- 
ments, and consequently only long-tongued insects can gain access 
to the nectar which is secreted in a depression at the base of 
each segment. No odor is perceptible. The extrorse anthers are 
12 mm. long, they produce a great amount of reddish-brown 
pollen, and are lightly attached to the long (4 cm.) filaments. On 
account of the bending of the upper part of the filaments the 
anthers are carried outwardly, and finally they form a circle of 
2 to 3 cm. diameter around the capitate dark brown stigma, which 
is situated on the same level. On the second day the upper part of 
the style curves outwards and brings the stigma either in contact 
with one of the anthers or in a position between two of them. 
In this new position the stigma is more apt to be struck by large 
insects approaching the flower from the side, butterflies or hawk- 
moths for example.' 
According to Meehan (7) this lily is self-sterile. The dusting 
of the stigma with pollen from the same plant (self-pollination) 
would therefore be of no use to the plant. This mode of pollination, 
although ineffective is undoubtedly of common occurrence in these 
homogamous or sHghtly proterandrous flowers, and once on a 
windy day, soon after the opening of a flower I saw a swaying 
anther touch the stigma before any insects had made their appear- 
ance. 
A small bee, Halictus versatus Rob., while collecting pollen 
was observed crawling around on the anthers as well as on the 
stigma, and a repetition of this behavior in a second flower might 
lead to cross-fertilization. Lovell (8) saw a bumble-bee, Bombus 
vagans Sm., alight on the stigma and afterwards crawl up along 
the anthers. He expresses the opinion that this species is visited 
by bees only, but it is probably adapted to Tepidoptera the 
7. Thomas Meehan. Observations on Lilies. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. 
Phil. 1875. pp. 412-413. 
8. J. Lovell. The color of northern monocotyleclonous flowers. 
Am. Nat., Vol. XXXIIl., p. 498 (1899). 
