3G0 Mr A. D. "Webster on Cypripedium Calceolus. 



Cypripedium flowers in full bloom. OccasioDally I bave 

 seen insects aligbt on tbe labellum, but tbe temptations 

 to enter tbe flower must bave been few, to judge from 

 their speedy departure. 



2. Only such insects as experience tbe greatest amount 

 of diflSculty in escaping from tbe flower can remove tbe 

 pollen. 



Wben small insects, even up to tbe size of our common 

 brown ant, enter tbe flower, and creep out again by eitber 

 of tbe orifices near tbe antbers, tbeir backs will not come 

 in contact witb tbe pollen, as tbe distance between tbis 

 and tbe portion of tbe labellum on wbicb tbey tread is too 

 great, being in most specimens tbat I bave measured one- 

 eigbtb of an iucb.* 



Small bees, sucb as tbe sand wasp and otbers, are of 

 tbe size to remove tbe pollen, but tben tbe difficulty tbey 

 experience in escaping is great. I bave placed several of 

 tbese witbin tbe labellum of tbe flower, and saw tbem 

 force tbeir way out besmeared witb tbe pollen, but usually 

 a good deal of time and great efi'ort is expended in tbus 

 efi'ecting an escape, and, to my mind, impresses tbe insect 

 witb tbe idea not to venture into sucb a trap again. 



From all my observations tben, I incline to tbink 

 tbat but little temptation to visit tbe flower is ofi'ered to 

 insects, and tbat from difficulty of exit, insects wbicb bave 

 once entered tbis prison cb amber, are not likely to do so a 

 second time. But it may be asked, If tbe fertilisation of 

 Cypripedium Calceolus is so imperfectly performed, bow is 

 tbe plant so abundant on tbe Continent ? To tbis T would 

 reply, tbat, like Epipactis latifoUa (about wbicb I bad tbe 

 bonour a year ago of contributing a paper to tbe Society), 

 Nature, as if to make up for imperfect fertilisation, bas 

 endowed tbis plant with a peculiarly safe method of 

 reproduction, viz., by increase of tbe root; for, wben 

 favourably situated, established plants of tbis Cypripedium 

 increase rapidly, single crowns soon spreading over a wide 

 area. 



* A specimen, with the glutinous pollen attached, was sent for identification 

 to Professor Westwood, who named it Syrxjhus syzittapipiens, Linn. 



