394 Scott Elliot. — On the Fertilisation of South 
the two lateral inferior stamens have longer filaments which 
are also less curved upwards and hence their anthers, which 
are also fertile (though shorter than that of the preceding), lie 
below and more in advance of it. 
The two superior lateral stamens have short straight 
filaments and four-lobed barren connectives (though sometimes 
bearing a little pollen). The sixth stamen is always absent, 
though I fancied honey was secreted at the point where it should 
exist. In the female flower the stamens are as in the male 
and the style originally lies below them, subsequently curving 
upwards so as to lie in the path of the insect. Visitors: 
— Apis mellifica , very ab. — Fort Dauphin, Madagascar. 
Commelina tuberosa, L., C. Karawinskii, Mart ., and C. 
communis, L. have been excellently described and figured by 
Macleod (Botanisch Jaarboek, 2nd Jaargang, 1890, p. 143 ; 
English abstract). Except by the constant hermaphroditism 
and presence of the sixth stamen, they do not differ much from 
this species. C. coelestis , Willd. has been described by Muller 
(Macleod, No. 416) : also by Macleod, No. 343, and by Brei- 
tenbach (Macleod, No. 57). The male flowers being those 
that appear first from the spathe leads to the fertilisation of 
older flowers by the pollen of younger ones, and hence induces 
cross-fertilisation. 
