The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2Poe, Edgar Allan
General
The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2
Poe, Edgar Allan
American fiction -- 19th century; Fantasy fiction; Horror tales, American; Short stories
(*13) In mines and natural caves we find a species of
cryptogamous _fungus_ that emits an intense phosphorescence.
(*14) The orchis, scabius and valisneria.
(*15) The corolla of this flower (_Aristolochia Clematitis_),
which is tubular, but terminating upwards in a ligulate limb, is
inflated into a globular figure at the base. The tubular part is
internally beset with stiff hairs, pointing downwards. The
globular part contains the pistil, which consists merely of a
germen and stigma, together with the surrounding stamens. But the
stamens, being shorter than the germen, cannot discharge the
pollen so as to throw it upon the stigma, as the flower stands
always upright till after impregnation. And hence, without some
additional and peculiar aid, the pollen must necessarily fan down
to the bottom of the flower. Now, the aid that nature has
furnished in this case, is that of the _Tiputa Pennicornis_, a
small insect, which entering the tube of the corrolla in quest of
honey, descends to the bottom, and rummages about till it becomes
quite covered with pollen; but not being able to force its way
out again, owing to the downward position of the hairs, which
converge to a point like the wires of a mouse-trap, and being
somewhat impatient of its confinement it brushes backwards and
forwards, trying every corner, till, after repeatedly traversing
the stigma, it covers it with pollen sufficient for its
impregnation, in consequence of which the flower soon begins to
droop, and the hairs to shrink to the sides of the tube,
effecting an easy passage for the escape of the insect.”—_Rev. P.
Keith-System of Physiological Botany_.
(*16) The bees—ever since bees were—have been constructing their
cells with just such sides, in just such number, and at just such
inclinations, as it has been demonstrated (in a problem involving
the profoundest mathematical principles) are the very sides, in
the very number, and at the very angles, which will afford the
creatures the most room that is compatible with the greatest
stability of structure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account