PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY DURING THE QUARTER. 243 



simply as the remnant of a process which had long since been complete, so 

 far as fructification was concerned, tbat was to say, that pollen might go on 

 discharging even after the ovule had been acted upon and fecundated. As 

 a general rule, the period of the maturity of pollen and the suitability of the 

 ovule for fertilization were simultaneous. It was noteworthy tbat in the 

 Natural Orders Orchidacese and Asclepiadaceoa, direct fecundation could never 

 take place. In that part of the subject, Dr. Kirtikar said, Dr. Ma'Donald 

 had anticipated him, and already ably spoken on the subject. An insect mutt 

 intercede in these orders and transfer the pollinia from one orchid to 

 another. 



The pi lien cells assumed a variety of forms. Thirty different forms were 

 pictured by Dr. Kirtikar on paper and handed round to the meeting. The 

 contents of the pollen grains, he said, were called fovilla, which consisted 

 of coarsely granular protoplasm containing essential oil and starch globules 

 suspended in finely atomized condition and varying in size from 1-4,000 to 

 1-30,000 of au inch. It was the essential oil, he said, that gave flowers their 

 value in the world of perfumery. 



