Plant Relations; A First Book of Botany

by John Merle Coulter

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 ...head, sometimes directly to its eyes, and the pollen masses are torn out. These masses are then carried to the next flower and are thrust against the stigma in the attempt to get the nectar. In the lady-slipper (Cypripedium), another orchid, the flowers have a conspicuous pouch (see Fig. 137), in which the nectar is secreted. A peculiar structure, like a flap, overhangs the opening of the pouch, beneath which are the two anthers, and between them the stigmatic surface (see Fig. 138). Into the pouch a bee crowds its way and becomes imprisoned (see Fig. 139). The nectar which the bee obtains is in the bottom of the pouch (see Fig. 140). When escaping, the bee moves towards the opening overhung by the flap and rubs first against the stigmatic surface (see Fig. 141), and then against the anthers, receiving pollen on its back (see Fig. 142). A visit to another flower will result in rubbing some of the pollen upon the stigma, and in receiving more pollen for another flower. Fig. 139. A bee imprisoned in the pouch (partly cut away) of Cypripedium.--After Girson. Fig. 140. A bee obtaining nectar in tbe pouch of Cypripedium.--After Girson. In cases of protandry, as the common figwort, flowers in the two conditions will be visited by the pollinating insect, and as the shedding stamens and receptive stigmas occupy the same relative position, the pollen from one flower will be carried to the stigma of another. It is evident that exactly the same methods prevail in the case of protogyny, as the fireweed (see Pig. 134). The Houstonia (see Fig. 135), in which there are starnens and styles of different lengths, is visited by insects whose bodies fill the tube and protrude above it. In visiting flowers of both kinds, one region of the body receives pollen from the short sta...

50 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2012

About the author

John Merle Coulter, Ph. D. was an American botanist and educator. In his career in education administration, Coulter is notable for serving as the president of Indiana University and Lake Forest College and the head of the Department of Botany at the University of Chicago. (Source: Wikipedia)