IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
109 
MECHANISM FOR SECURING CROSS FERTILIZATION 
IN SALVIA LANCEOLATA. 
G. W. NEWTON. 
This plant was found growing abundantly about Grand 
Island, Nebraska, especially in waste places where the sod had 
been removed. It is 6 to 18 inches high, has lanceolate to linear, 
sparsely serrate leaves. The racemes are 1 to 4 inches long. 
The corolla is about three- eighths of an inch long and of a deli- 
cately blue tint, the upper lip forming a pubescent hood enclos- 
ing stamens and style. The lower lip is comparatively broad, 
three lobed and by its protrusion affords an excellent landing 
place for insects. The style is nearly glabrous and is bifurcated, 
the upper branch being exserted and curved upwards. The 
lower branch is slightly flattened at the end forming the 
stigma, which extends a little beyond the anthers in such a 
position that it is quite sure to come in contact with the insects 
entering the flower. The stamens, two in number, are peculiar. 
The filaments are short and attached to the lower lip of the 
corolla. The anthers are long, yoke shaped, one celled at the 
upper ends, and are attached by hinges near the middle to the 
filaments. They curve backward, are united the lower third of 
their length and rest their lower extremities on the corolla. 
There is a groove down the center of the lower lip along 
which the insect’s proboscis will be directed in searching 
for nectar. By this act the sterile ends of the anthers 
will be raised and the anther cells will descend like the 
ends of an old fashioned well sweep, and come into con- 
tact with the head or proboscis of the invading insect. The 
pollen thus secured is quite sure to be deposited on the 
stigma of the next flower visited, thus securing cross 
fertilization. After being tilted, the anthers are under tension 
and readily return to their former position. A little below the 
middle of each anther is a slightly curved projection which fits 
