1886-87.] Flowers of Bolhophylliim Lohhii. 109 



that, just as in the common English Orchids the cells of tlie 

 spur contain a \dscicl matter which is sought after by insects, 

 so in B. Lohhii the thin-walled cells, already alluded to (fig. 1), 

 between the three yellow spots, contain a viscid substance 

 which serves to attract insects ; and this is still more probable 

 from the fact that in another species whose name I have not 

 been able to make out, certain cells are to be found at the 

 same spot containing dense matter resembling somewhat the 

 crystalloids in the leaf of Ficus indica, along with a red 

 colouring matter ; a portion of a section containing these 

 bodies became yellowish brown when I tested by boiling in 

 Fehling's solution. 



In one flower which I had fertilised by bringing both pollinia 

 on the stigmatic surface the following changes had after twenty- 

 four hours occurred. The two lateral collar-like portions of 

 the column, which I have already shown to be the filaments of 

 the stamens of the inner whorl, together with the filaments 

 of the fertile stamen, had become much swollen, the filaments 

 of the fertile stamen curve forward to such an extent, that 

 the anther case is carried downward, and the swollen filament 

 shuts in the stigmatic chamber above, and forms the highest 

 part of the column. The two lateral staminodes close in the 

 stigmatic chamber from both sides. It is worth noting that 

 I introduced both pollinia, but during this process of swel- 

 ling, one of these was pressed out along with much viscid 

 matter ; therefore if an insect had introduced both pollinia as 

 I did, the second one would in all probability be pressed out, 

 and would easily be withdrawn should another insect enter 

 the flower. Besides the changes in the column, changes in 

 the perianth also occur: the superior sepal bends forward, and 

 forms a sort of roof over the column, while at the same time 

 the two lateral petals and the inferior sepals approach one 

 another in front in such a way that the labellum becomes 

 fixed in its usual position. The flower becoming in this way 

 tubular, this latter process also takes place independent of 

 fertilisation, when the flower is five or six days old and begins 

 to wither. Even then fertilisation is possible by the insect 

 penetrating deeply into the flower, and on crawling backwards 

 removing viscid matter and the pollinia. 



This closed-up condition also obviously protects the flower 

 in a very beautiful way from any kind of injury. 



