JANUARY, 1902. GRAENICIIEl! — FI-OWERS ADAPTED TO FLESH-FLIES. 
31 
SMILAX ECIRRHATA^ S. WATS. UPRIGHT SMILAX. 
This is our earliest Smilax, blooming from May 19th to June 
I2th. The stems grow upright, varying in height between six 
and nine dm., and producing long-stalked axillary umbels, 
with numerous erect flowers of one cm. diameter. In the older 
flowers the lanceolate perianth-segments are somewhat reflexed. 
The ptaminate and pistillate flowers of plants, growing under the 
same conditions, open at about the same time. The stamens are 
strongly divergent, and aMJ the anthers of the same flo'wer shed 
their pollen synchronously. In the pistillate flower the abortive 
stamens are represented by four to six thin, poorly developed fila- 
ments, while the stigmatic lobes are comparatively large, and 
covered with numerous papillae. Nectar is secreted abundantly by 
both kinds of flowers, although in fine weather the flowers are 
mostly found with hardly any nectar, the supply having been ex- 
liausted by the very numerous insect-visitors. The putrid odor 
of the flowers, staminate as well as pistillate, is very distinct and 
may be likened to the smell of decomposing cheese. 
Smilax ecirrhata presents a case of trioecism. Besides plants 
bearing either staminate or pistillate flowers, specimens are found 
with perfect (hermaphrodite) flowers exclusively. Such plants 
have appeared regularly for the last three seasons in a piece of 
woodland near the northern limits of Milwaukee, in Mineral 
Spring park. These perfect flowers are hbmogamous. Their ant- 
hers and ovaries are not as well developed, as is the case in the 
staminate and pistillate flowers, but they nevertheless furnish nor- 
mal pollen and produce fruit. Trioecism has not yet been ob- 
served in any of our other species of Smilax. 
On different days within the last four years, the following vis- 
itors have been taken on the flowers of Smilax ecirrhata: 
A. Hymenoptera. 
Andrenidae: (i) Andrena, sp. 9, c. p.;* (2) Augochlora 
vividula, Sm. 9 , s. and c. p. ; (3) Halictus fasciatus, Nyl.^ 9 c. p. ; 
(4) H. fulvipes, Sm. 9, s. and c. p. 
B. Diptera. 
Tipulidae: (5) Tipula graphica, Doane; Syrphidae : (6) 
Mesogramma geminata, Say; Tachinidae: (7) Gonia capitata, 
DeG.; Muscidae: (8) Hemichlora sp.; (9) Pollenia rudis, 
Fabr.; (10) Callii^hora erythrocephala, Meig.; (11 ) C. vomi- 
toria, L.; (12) Phormia regina, Meig.; (13) P. terrae-novae, 
Desv.; (14) Lucilia sylvarum, Meig.; (15) L. caesar, L.; (16) L. 
* $ Worker; ^ Male; ? Female; s Sucking; c p Collecting Pollen; f p Feeding on 
Pollen. 
