[60]

Vinca major in Pot— greenhouse

Apr 8th 1861

[annotated sketch] [illeg] orange-coloured curtain More accurate

[annotated sketch] upper part of anther forming a cap without pollen.

anthers: pollen shed in 2 packets in recesses amongst the woolly white hairs of depending from top of pistil & above the circular humid disc - without flower [illeg] no pollen cd get on circular stigma.

corolla)

pistil

Insect must pass proboscis between two of anthers on side of corolla, so as to pass round disc of pistil down tube of corolla; & in doing this must brush by 2 packets of pollen from 2 adjoining anthers & so carry it down to stigma. -There is plenty of room between disc of pistil & corolla between the stamens - Pollen coheres to needle. Tubes of corolla hairy round all sides above pistil

[in margin:] Beautiful object long snow white hairs hanging down ∴ forming alcove with division for pollen, which is shed when flower opens.

April 8th 1861

[60v]

Apr. 9th passed fine Bristle down corollas; became humid - abundant pollen adheres to whole length of Bristle.

Apr 10th abundance of nectar. Flower which 25° since, I pushed fine bristle down, had abundance of pollen at many points also some furrow round disc. This furrow is roughened with papilla & very humid (so that bristle became wet); & between papillæ multitude of pollen-tubes penetrated stigmata surface. Also on the orange curtain much pollen, as wd necessarily ensue from position & into this near top many pollen-tubes had penetrated - This curtain seems only union of cells, as in those of papillæ on furrow-like stigma. (Sprengel p. 136, knew from moisture which was stigma; described rightly parts - thinks Thrips fertilised: never saw insect - plant does not seed in Germany. (In V. rosea stamens higher up no brush on top of pistil-) Says cannot be fertilised mechanically or by wind, but by insects alone.)

[in margin:] when the flower is fertilised the whole Pistil drops off.