In the simple circular flowers, such as roses, poppies, and lilies, the
bee can enter freely from any side that it chooses, and it generally
goes straight to the centre. Many of these simple flowers, therefore,
have large numbers of stamens which stand up in a crown in the middle,
so that the bee must touch and stir some of them as he dives in the
centre for the honey.
[Illustration: Fig. 117. Slightly two-sided flower of the Foxglove,
with the petal tube cut open to show the four stamens bending to the
front.]
In others which are nearly circular, there is a little difference
between the back and front of the flower, and the stamens are so placed
that the visiting insect must touch them. For example, look into the
bell of a foxglove, where you will find only four stamens, but they are
bent so that the anthers together form a kind of platform in the front
of the flower, over which the bees must pass as they enter (~see~ fig.
117). Frequently the stamens bend in this way towards the front of the
flower, and in many cases the whole flower becomes quite definitely
two-sided, with a front and back, and a special place for the entrance
of the bee. This is the case with the violet, pea, monkshood, and many
others (~see~ fig. 118).
[Illustration: Fig. 118. Two-sided flowers: A, Monkshood; B, Violet.]
When flowers have this form, you frequently find that the number of
stamens is quite small, seldom more than ten, and often less.
A plant of this kind very interesting to watch is the yellow gorse. If
you can get up and sit by a flowering bush from about half-past five to
seven one sunny morning, you will be able to learn a great deal about
the doings of the bees and flowers.
[Illustration: Fig. 119. (~a~) Flower of the Gorse after the insect’s
visit, showing the inner parts exposed; (~b~) young flower nearly ready
to be visited.]
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