OF THE GENFS LIPABTS. 249 



be met with, from the simple thickening and sometimes colouring 

 of the veins, as in L. elliptica^ L, neuroglossa^ &e., to the complete 

 distinct calli {L. elata, &c.). In L. aurita, Eidl., and its allies 

 the veins at the base of the lamina are pushed a little to the 

 side and thickened, so as to form a horseshoe-shaped callus with 

 a slight depression in the centre. In many species the lip has 

 no erect claw, but the whole of the lip lies parallel, or almost so, 

 to the column ; and in L, elUptica, Keichb. f., the sides of the lip 

 are so curved up as to enclose and conceal the column. 



The column is usually long and slender and more or less curved, 

 with the base and apex dilated. The sides of the stigma are 

 flanked by two small membranous wings more or less triangular 

 in outline. They are rarely absent {L. Wehvitschii^ Eeichb. f,), 

 and in L. decurrens {Platystylisy Blume) there are an extra pair 

 outside the normal pair, rudiments of which may be seen in 

 L. aurita^ Eidl., a closely allied plant, in the form of a pair of 

 minute lobes. The species of this section are also remarkable 

 for their short, thick, straight column. The column of L. dis- 

 ticha, Lindl., is similar in shape, though the plant is very dif- 

 ferent in other respects ; but the two other species of the same 

 group {JDisticlicB)^ L, Cnmingi^ Eidl., and L. compressa^ LindL, 

 have the slender arcuate column of the rest of the genus. 



The anther-cap is usually ovate and acute, sometimes, as in 

 L, ornithorrhynclios^ Eidl., distinctly beaked. It is more or 

 less distinctly bilocular, and contains two pairs of ovoid pollinia 

 usually adhering together in pairs by their apices. The stigma 

 is usually rather small, elliptical or oval, rarely (Z. Welwitschii) 



deeply sunk. 



The capsule is usually pyriform globose in the small epiphytic 

 species of the genus, such as L. cc^spitosa, Lindl., and X. loiigi- 

 pes, Lindl. In the terrestrial species it is commonly elongate 

 conical {L, Loeselii and i. elata) . When ripe it has usually distinct 

 ribs, which are rarely sinuous (L, Forbesti, Eidl.). As the fruit 

 ripens the pedicels elongate a little, and in some of the epiphytic 

 species not unfrequently become recurved. This is especially 

 noticeable in L. Jflaccida, Eeichb. f. In L. Loeselii, Eich., and 

 species of similar habit, the fruit remains stiffly erect, and as it 

 were adpressed to the rhachis. It is possible that this may bear 

 some relation to the seed-distribution, for whereas in the epiphytic 

 species it would be advantageous to the plant to spread its cap- 

 sules, that the wind might catch them more readily and drift 



