172 . MR. P, GROOM—CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
through which absorption might take place is not freely exposed. 
(ii) Mycorhizal hyphe do not penetrate at the spots where the 
epidermis has thin walls, although the spaces between the leaves 
and axis are filled with hyphe and humus. (iii.) The structure and 
circumscribed area of the spots of the epidermis where the walls 
are thin militate against this possible view. (iv.) In the rhizome 
the accumulation of starch and raphide-mucilage cells is near the 
attachments of the roots and distant from the scales. (v.) The 
amount of starch in the scales is small. (vi.) The aerial scales 
are constructed on the same scheme as the subterranean scales. 
(vii.) Other saprophytic orchids possess stomata in their sub- 
terranean parts, or other means of getting rid of excess of water 
(storage). None of these considerations disprove the views that 
the scales can absorb. But that they can lose water seems certain 
when we ask the question, “If the scales do not get rid of the 
excess of water, how is that surplus disposed of ? ” 
Histology of the Fruits. (Pl. V. fig. 9.) 
On my specimen there were three succulent fruits shaped like 
small tapering bananas. The ovary has one loculus, and three 
branched parietal placente bore numerous young seeds. 
Sections reveal the following structure:—Externally is an 
epidermis composed of small cells with thick, cuticularized outer 
walls. Traces of a few hazrs are visible. Within lie about eight 
layers of parenchymatous cells. These cells tend to be elongated 
tangentially (in transverse section) and gradually increase in size 
towards the interior. They are succeeded by about twice the 
number of large parenchymatous cells, which are rich in starch 
excepting immediately in the neighbourhood of the interplacental 
vascular bundles. Scattered in the parenchymatous ground- 
tissue are longitudinal rows of mucilage-cells which appear to 
have no raphides. In transverse section one sees that there is a 
single ring of parenchymatous cells elongated radially round each 
mucilage-cel. Hence it is possible to recognize the latter even 
when the mucilage has dropped out. 
There are siz main vascular bundles, three opposite the three 
placent: and three equidistant between these. The ground-tissue 
cells in the neighbourhood of the bundles change their shapes 
and gradually become elongated at right angles to the direction 
of the bundles from which they radiate, forming marked patterns. 
In the bundles there is a great diminution in the xylem. From 
