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136
My Studio Neighbors
·
W. Hamilton Gibson
77
In
the
first
stage
(B,
Fig.
13)
small
flies
with
bodies
dusted
with
pollen
from
a
previous
arum
blossom
(for
insects,
as
a
rule,
remain
faithful
or
partial
to
one
species
of
flowers
while
it
is
in
bloom)
are
entering
the
narrowed
tube,
easily
passing
through
the
drooping
fringe
of
hairs.
Nectar
is
secreted
by
the
stigmas,
and
here
the
flies
assemble,
thus
dusting
them
with
pollen.
Their
appetite
temporarily
satisfied,
the
insects
seek
escape,
but
find
their
exit
effectually
barred
by
the
intruding
fringe
of
hairs
(C).
In
this
second
stage
the
stigmas,
having
now
been
fertilized,
have
withered,
at
the
same
time
exuding
a
fresh
supply
of
nectar,
which
again
attracts
the
flies,
whereupon,
as
shown
at
D,
the
anthers
open
and
discharge
their
pollen
upon
the
insects.
In
the
fourth
stage
(E),
all
the
functions
of
the
flower
having
now
been
fulfilled,
the
fringe
of
hairs
withers,
and
the
imprisoned
pollen-laden
flies
are
permitted
to
escape
to
another
flower,
where
the
beautiful
scheme
is
again
enacted.
In
a
paper
of
this
kind
it
is
of
course
possible
only
to
hint
at
a
few
representative
examples
of
floral
mechanisms,
but
these
would
be
indeed
incomplete
without
a
closing
reference
to
that
wonderful
tribe
of
flowers
with
which
the
theory
of
cross-fertilization
will
ever
be
memorably
associated.
I
have
previously
alluded
to
the
absolute
dependence
of
the
red
clover
upon
the
bumblebee.
This
instance
may
be
considered
somewhat
exceptional,
though
numerous
parallel
cases
are
known.
Among
ordinary
flowers
this
intervention
of
the
insect
is
largely
a
preferable
intention,
and
though
almost
invariably
fulfilled,
a
large
proportion
of
flowers
still
retain,
as
a
dernier
ressort,
the
power
of
at
least
partial
self-fertilization
and
perpetuity
in
the
absence
or
neglect
of
their
insect
counterpart.
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