DEYELOPMENT IN IIAEENAEIA CHLOEANTHA. 



105 



Rostellura or Staminodium? 



Bifolia lobe. 

 ;\ Connective. 



Chlorantha lobe. 

 -^ Staminodia. 



Orchis, Ophrys, &c. allied to it), usually regarded as belonging to 

 one, viz. the anterior, stamen of the outer whorl, belong rather to 

 two stamens (viz. one to each of the two lateral) of the inner 

 whorl, their other lobe in such cases being abortive ? Such a 

 structure would bring these genera into closer affinity with Cypri- 

 peditim, where both lobes of the two lateral stamens of the inner 

 whorl are fertile, whilst the anterior stamen of the outer whorl 

 forms the prominent staminodium of that genus. If this should 

 prove to be the case, the rostellum (where it occurs) would be 

 the representative of the anterior stamen of the outer whorl, and 

 not a process from the stigma, as it is usually regarded. In the 

 present specimen, the lateral staminodia appear connected by a 

 continuous tissue, ran- 

 ging outside the fertile 

 stamens, with the ros- 

 tellum-like process ri- 

 sing between them. The 

 distortions or deviations 

 from regularity which 

 are in relation to the 

 formation of lip and 

 spur, seem here con- 

 nected with the back- 

 ward extension of the connectives, dragging (as it were) one 

 anther-lobe of the two lateral stamens, whether fertile or barren 

 (staminodia), of both whorls towards the lip, whilst the other 

 lobes (the anterior ones) have a tendency to become approximated 

 to each other. Thus, the least obliterated of the anther-lobes 

 (generally termed staminodia) belonging to the two lateral sta- 

 mens of the outer whorl assume a position a little behind the 

 contiguous lateral stamens of the inner whorl. 



The entirely suppressed posterior stamens of the inner whorl 

 may be regarded as merged into the spur of the lip. Possibly the 

 entirely suppressed posterior anther-lobes of those outer stamens 

 which produce the lateral staminodia are in the same condition. 

 If we suppose a case in which the posterior stamen of the inner 

 whorl were developed, we might a priori anticipate the lip would 

 be replaced by a regularly-formed petal. If I remember rightly, 

 a case of this sort has been recorded and figured in a monstrous 

 variety of Orehis latifolia. 



Tab. I. B. fig. 1, portion of flower ; 2, back, and 3, front view of 

 column ; all magnified. 



Spur. 

 POSTEEIOE. 



