372 
DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE NECTAR1UM. 
being merely useless, but absolutely'injurious, yet we recommend the 
perusal of his little work to all who are interested in Forest Tree culture. 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
ARTICLE XIII.—ON THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE NECTAR1UM. 
BY F. F. ASHFORD. 
Several of these have been cursorily mentioned as characters of the 
genus, but though this part of the flower has not hitherto been observed 
in many genera, yet it may in all probability exist in all, if not a 
distinct visible part as a gland, or pore, or a set of glands, or pores 
exuding that viscid sweet juice, so useful secondarily for the 
nourishment of a great variety of insects, and at the same time, doubt¬ 
less primarily necessary to the fructuation of the plant itself. For it 
may be observed in monopetalous tubulose corollas, that though they 
have no visible nectary, yet there is a nectareous juice, secreted in 
their tube, which is therefore probably provided with glands for this 
purpose, too minute to be seen with the naked eye, but which an 
accurate inspection with glasses, might perhaps detect. Polypetalous 
flowers, with open calyxes, having no tube or basin for the reception 
of the nectarious juice, have in general a body destined to prepare 
and contain it, in order that it may be distributed to the surround¬ 
ing parts of fructuation as it is wanted. In the compound and um¬ 
bellate tribe of plants indeed, no nectaries have been remarked, but 
then it must be remembered, that the whole flower in both of these 
is so small, that it is no wonder if a part so minute as the nectary 
frequently is in larger flowers, should escape our observation. In 
these we may presume, however, that they abound in nectarious juice 
since we observe that insects are particularly fond of these tribes. 
No genus in the 12th class has any distinct nectary, but then the 
calyx is one leaved, and forms a commodious basin, for the reception 
of the nectarious juice which is frequently discernable in it. The ver- 
ticilate tube (Class 14 Order 2) also is not mentioned by Linmeus as 
being furnished with visible nectary, nor is that perhaps necessary here, 
because the coralla is monopetalous, and the monophylous calyx forms 
a permanent tube. Many genera of this order have a gland in the 
bottom of the calyx, surrounding the base of the germ. This is large 
in the bugle and sufficiently visible in the dead nettle. 
No appearance of the nectary is more common than in the form of 
glands, thus Plukenetia has four glands at the base of the filiments, as 
in the fifteenth class. Cereis has a style form gland under the germ, 
Orobanchc has a gland at the base of the germ, Cassytha has three 
