[93]

March 13th 63.

Willow all Dioicous - belong to [illeg] & same order with Populus. - Scant nectar; both sexes largely visited by Bees - Flowers perhaps rather more conspicuous than alders &c But before leaves - stamens project freely, pollen can be shaken in clouds, but also adherent - Stigma rough & rather large & protuberant. - Everything agrees with wind-fertilisation - Is Populus, which is dioicous wind - if so would allow for above peculiarities. Plants & Trees fertilised by Wind

Corylus & Alder both belong to Lindley's [illeg] (& include Oak-Chesnut-Beech & Birch). In most stamens shaft covered by sort of hood-like scales - pollen jarred out in quantity, but not easily reached to be brushed

 

[94]

out - stigmas long & protuberant & rough - Alder same in all respects - I watched trees no insects - Poplar important to examine.

American Maples in flower before leaves - it secretes nectar. Sir J. Smith says of no 2 species - some flower male, some female, some hermaphrodite - so much crossing requisite - hence leafless to form visits of insects. - Swarm with - Bees

Cherry in 1/2 leaf multitude of Humble - Horse-chesnut Limes not very conspicuous except for bract, Bees.

Ash flowers before trace of leaf - flower stem branched - 2 stamens & bristled stigma as large as anther; but some trees seem female with hair & then an anther & some males with hair & then a stigma; others are nearly hermaphroditic - Tree of stamens & Pistils are highly protuberant, & yet no coloured corolla

 

[94v]

Apr. 22 - Birch pollen in profusion incoherent - stigma on small cat-kins; protuberant not very greatly [illeg] - leaves about 1/3 decreased in size - so tree pretty naked.—

Box tree fl. very inconspicuous & much hidden leaves [monoecious] - but male flower surrounds females like a hermaphrodite; but the males are generally quite fresh before stigma matures (like Begonia) - drop of nectar secreted - This year very few insects, but I think I have seen this tree largely visited. Must be fertilised by distant group of flowers on same or other tree.

Holly rather inconspicuous flowers.

 

July 5 Spanish Chesnut in full leaf & flowering - Males flowers in enormous proportion over female; filament pretty long not dangling - Female flower at end of short, pretty well exposed with long, pointed stigmas