40 



THE JOUllXAL OF J30TANY 



E. VIRIDIFLORA Var. LEPTOCHILA. 



The neiv hud has only one root- 

 let, on the outside, furthest from the 

 stem. 



Stem pale green. 



Leai'es often numerous, near to- 

 gether, internodes short, lower often 

 ovate, sometimes broadly lanceolate, 

 upper lanceolate to linear lanceolate, 

 yellow-green or dark green *. 



Raceme lax. 



Sepals lanceolate, acuminate. 



Petals ovate- lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, very acute, nerves clearly 

 visible. 



Epichile. Not deflexed, cordate 

 acuminate, with a long acute point, 

 longer than broad (8-9 mm. X 4 mm.) 

 green, with 2 white rugose hunches. 



Column rises into a nib-like tooth 

 at the back, with a deep acute sinus 

 between it and the staminode on 

 each side. 



Anther stalked, projecting far 

 over edge of stigma, so that the 

 viscid gland is opposite the V-shaped 

 space between the downward- diverg- 

 ing pollinia. 



Viscid gla nd. Functionless, wither- 

 ing by the time the flower above it 

 opens, not coming in contact with 

 with the pollinia. 



Ripe capsule yellowish green, 

 elliptical, broadest in the middle, 

 jfl2mm. long and + 8 mm. broad; 

 stalk + 6 mm. long. 



The flower is self -fertilized. 



E. VIOLACEA (E. purpurata S.n.). 



Each bud has two rootlets, one 

 on each side between bud and stem. 



Dark grey-green, tinged through- 

 out with violet, giving it a curious 

 mealy and livid appearance. 



Distant internodes long, lowest 

 never ovate, all similar in shape, 

 dull grey-green sometimes flushed 

 with violet, much smaller, shorter, 

 and narrower f. 



Raceme much denser. 



Lanceolate obtuse, sometimes 

 rather acute. 



Oblong- lanceolate, obtuse, the 

 same breadth for most of their length, 

 nerves almost obsolete. 



Deflexed, cordate acute, broader 

 than long (4 mm. long by 5-6 mm. 

 broad), white, very faintly tinged 

 pink, with 2-3 parallel + confluent 

 hunches. 



Upper wall continuous, wavy- 

 edged and level from centre of back 

 to staminode. 



Sessile, not projecting over upper 

 edge of stigma (except the empty 

 tip) ; gland opposite apex of pollinia. 



Large and very effective, firmly 

 attached to pollinia just below their 

 apex. 



Dark grey-green, markedly tri- 

 gonous, broadest just below apex, 

 + 20 mm. long, each side 10-11 mm. 

 broad at the widest point; stalk 

 + 3 mm. long. 



Fertilized by wasps. 



The above-marked points of difference, extending to most jmrts of 

 the organism, appear amply sufficient to prove that we have in these 

 plants two good and distinct species, and a careful examination of the 

 essential organs of the flower will show that ^. laf /folia, viridijloray 

 and violacea are morphologically different. It is true that many 

 botanists have considered vi rid {flora, and several violacea, to be 

 but forms of E. laiifolia, but all these authors have given judgement 

 without taking into account the evidence afforded by the anther, 

 pollinia, stigma, and rostellum, their descriptions stopping short at the 

 perianth. Nevertheless, there have been clear-sighted botanists who, 

 apart from the organs of reproduction, have recognized that the 



* Ovate lower leaves vary from 7 by 5 cm. to 5 by 4 cm. ; lanceolate lower 

 leaves from 10 by 3^ cm. to 6 by 2 cm. 



t Varying in length from 4-7 cm., in breadth from 2-2J cm. 



