198 
James Small. 
THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OP THE 
COMPOSITE. 
By James Small, M.Sc. (Lond.), Ph.C. 
Chapter II. 
THE POLLEN-PRESENTATION MECHANISM. 
I N the Composite the mechanism involved in the presentation 
of pollen to the insect visitor includes both styles and stamens. 
These essential organs are discussed, therefore, in the present 
chapter, but for convenience the variation in structure of styles and 
stamens is described and discussed in separate sections, while 
their functions in the pollen-presenting mechanism is considered 
partly in section D of the present chapter and partly in Chapter III 
which deals with the irritability of the mechanism. 
A. History. 
The history of our acquaintance with the pollen-presentation 
mechanism may be divided into two distinct sub-sections, the first 
dealing with the development of our knowledge of the details of the 
essential organs and the second dealing similarly with the process 
of pollination. 
Structure, 
Pre-Cassinian Period. 
Before the classic investigations of Malpighi and Grew there 
is no mention of either styles or stamens in the descriptions of 
Compositae. Nehemiah Grew in his first book (29,1671) describes 
the floret of the Compositae as an “ epitome of a flower.” The 
anther tube and style are described and figured, and various 
secondary uses of these parts are given but the “ Primary and 
Private Life .... I now determine not.” In 1675 Malpighi 
(46) published good figures and descriptions of the styles and 
stamens in Cichorium, and in the following year Grew’s fourth 
book appeared with numerous excellent figures and descriptions of 
the styles and stamens of several Composites. The Compositae 
also furnish the basis of his chapter on “The Use of the Attire,” a 
rather crude account of self-pollination in which both the style or 
“blade” and the stamens or “ sheath” are considered to be male 
organs, the “Thecae of the Sheath ” being described as the “ Vege¬ 
table Sperme.” 
