336 MR. HENRY RIDLEY ON ORCHIDEZ AND 
species in the order. A plant was brought down from Malacca 
to Singapore which weighed, with the portion of the tree on 
which it grew, three quarters of a ton, and specimens in Penang 
and Singapore Gardens measure 40 feet in circumference. It 
grows on trees, rarely at any great height above the ground, 
and often over streams ; but when the tree has fallen it often 
continues to live and grow on the ground. The flowering 
season is August or September; the scapes are very rapidly 
developed, and remain in flower for some weeks. Strong plants 
flower every year; but they require to be full grown before 
they commence. The capsule is very large, and pendulous ; it 
is oblong pyriform, and about 6 inches long and 3 inches 
thick. 
The flowers vary in size in different parts of the raceme, 
the lowest being the largest. The column is described in the 
‘Genera Plantarum’ and ‘ Flora of British India’ as footless, but 
this is hardly so. The margins at the base are carried forward 
beyond the point of attachment of the column to the ovary, 50 
as to form a nectary a quarter of an inch deep, in which, how- 
ever, I have never seen any nectar. The front wall of this 
nectary is formed by the base or claw of the lip, which is 
adnate to the sides, and on this base the lamina of the lip is 
articulated, and is, to a certain extent, movable. 
The flowers are fertilized by two species of Xylocopa, viZ., 
X. latipes, Drury, and X. estuans, Linn. 
They are also visited by ants and other small-winged 
hymenoptera in search of the sweet exudation, not only from 
the flowers but also from the bases of the pedicels. 
Each flower remains open for a few days without any altera- 
tion unless fertilized, when, although it is still unwithered, a 
change takes place which prevents its ever being fertilized. 
The apex of the column begins to curve over towards the 
stigma, pressing down the rostellum and pushing aside the 
side lobes (stelidia). The disc of the pollen and the anther 
become black and show signs of decay. The red spots on 
the upper part of the column become paler, and the whole 
column more greenish coloured. The lip becomes duller and 
withers. In afew days the apex of the column is coiled up 
almost into the stigma, pressing the pollinia into the stigmatic 
mouth. Then the whole flower commences to droop and 
wither. 
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