102 



3 or 2 staminodes (according to the opinion of different 

 authorities) ') and two petals behind it. (Fig. 5a). 



The deviation, represented in our figure (5b) consists in both 

 stamen and petal being replaced by two. Moreover it deserves 

 attention that between the two stamens a little excrescence 

 projects which resembles in every respect the appendages 

 of the labellum. This excrescence is, however, in our figure not 

 visible owing to the style in front of it. 



The labellum is present in both flowers, but in the abnor- 

 mal flower there is only one petal behind it instead of two. 



The deviation is not difficult to explain in view of a pheno- 

 menon which is of not uncommon occurrence in this family; 

 viz. metaschematic reversion of the diagram of the flower.-) 



In consequence of this conception we are led to assume 

 that in the abnormal flower the labellum of flg. a appears as 

 a double stamen in b or in other words that the small appen- 

 dages of the labelkim pass into fertile stamens whilst the 

 lamina is reduced to the small staminode between them. 



The stamen of a on the other hand (which the draughtsman 

 has viewed from the back) has passed into the labellum of 

 b, showing distinctly its being made up of three elements: the 

 labellum proper and two adjoining little staminodes. 



From the metamorphosis of both stamen and labellum 

 when interchanging position, it should follow that both have 

 a compound nature, both consisting of three stamens or sta- 

 minodes. 



In my opinion the labellum of a normal flower consists of two 

 antipetalous stamens enclosing a very small rudiment of an 

 antisepalous one, whereas the stamen proper chiefly consists of 

 one antipetalous stamen flanked by two minute antisepalous 

 ones. The latter, however, cohere with the labellum. 



ORCHIDACEAE. 



Calanthe triplicata Ames =^ C. veratrifolia R. Br. 



1) Eichler I p. 170. 



2) Penzig II p. 372. 



