On the influence of the nectaries and other sugarcontaining tissues in the flower on the opening of the anthers

The consideration that the opening of the anthers is preceded by a very considerable loss of water') and that with very many plants, e.g. Compositae, Papilionaceae, Lobeliaceae, Antirrhineae, Rhinanthaceae, Fumariaceae and further with all plants, chasmogamous as well as cleistogamous, which fertilise in the bud, this opening takes place within a closed flower and consequently cannot be caused by transpiration to the air, gave rise to the question whether perhaps the nectaries or other sugar-containing tissues in the flower, which do not secrete nectar outwardly, have influence on the withdrawal of water from the anthers. My surmise that also among the plants whose anthers only burst after the opening of the flower, some would be found in which this process is independent of the hygroscopic condition of the air, was found to be correct. If the flowers are placed under a glass bell-jar, the air in which is saturated with water-vapour, the anthers, of many plants burst at about the same time as those of flowers which are put outside the moist space in the open air.