, 1909-10-09

Qarded by the botanists, not as a single
flower, but as a head of flowers, hence the
outer part, which we first see and might re-
gard as q calyx, they call al lnyolucre, and
the one pistil and many stanens included
within the i~nyolucre are regarded as 50
many separate flowers. In what follows 1t
will be convenient, however, to speak OF
pistil and stamens, instead OF female and
male flowers.
Looking at the flower as we hold it in our
hand in the same position as it has when grow
ing on the bush, we see first that the involu-
ere has two I4aves,a short, rounded one which
forms the heel and u longer one winch forms
the rest of the foot. LIT us consider
each separately. We fud that the heel
leaf can be lf ell a lLtl3 fom the
front, for "a purpose which will be quite
plain presently, but just now we want to see
what that lid conceals, SO we force 1t off.
What do we find A small chamber. which
would be empty but for four little balls grow
ing around tue back OF heel end. These
four little balls, glands the botanist calls
them, are the matchmaking machines and
the chamber IS the neclary. So far, then,
we have learned that the heel contains the
nectary and that it can be reached by lifting
the lid q little il front. Presently we shall
learn who is to lift the lid and with what
tool.
As Just stated, there are two inyolucral
leaves to this remarkable flower, and we
here see that the upper one covers III the
nectary like q lid, what then IS the meaning
of the second inyolucral Ieuf? We find that
it represents the upper OF top part OF II foot
very well, but it does not represent the sole
equally we'll, for when il curIs over upwards
on each side it does not then fatten out
and v,aat -, c,nb a ro Y ~ IN stand fnr "a
fat sole, but it continues to curl inward
from each side 80 rs to turn down towards
the middle aud thus form a sort of chanuel
from the toe, along the sole, to the heel.
This would evidently make U nice hollow
for a humming birds bill to rest III and along
which the bill could be pushed 50 open the
lid of the ~nectary, if it should turn out that
the humrning bird is to do the work. Aud
If we have patience we shall Que day sec
that this is actually the case. The bird
arrives, hoyers liz front of the toe of the
boot, inserts his bill Into the groove, then
forces it forward and in this way lifts the
lid of the nectary and by means OF his
flexible, tubular tongue appropriates the
stock that may then be on hand. 1t
may now be asked.-HoW does all this
help the flower? The arrangement is very
good for securing and protecting q con-
trbutlOn towards the food OF the ummln8
bird, but what does the flower gain This.
is the question which has now to be answer
ed. The form Of each of the two invoIucral
leaves has been described, Likewise the pur-
pose of the one, but only il part has the
purpose Of the second been told. It has
been pointed out that this longer of the two
leaves curls over from each side SO as to form
a kind of channel for the bill of the bird;
but now we have to notice how, besides
that, it encloses the pistil and the
stamens. These organs peep out from the
toe in succeSsi0n. First comes the pistl,
with all it's usual parts, the ovary the. style
and the stigma. Whom the flower is ready
its colour becomes u brighter red and the
stigma peeps ont it IS simply the tip of
the style divided into three branches, three
little fingers, 80 to speak, turned upwards
ready to take hold of the pollen grains:
When you take your lens to- examine the
stigma you will see the said little fingers;
plainly enough but, what will perhaps sur
prise you, you will also probably see that they
have already picked up a few pollen grains
from somewhere. It cannot be from any
part Of the flower itself, for no stamens have
yet appeared and no anthers have burst open