NOVEMBER. 



give the flower its peculiar spider-like appearance. Inside 

 the flower we search in vain for the six stamens and the 

 three styles ; they are not developed. Yet they can be 

 traced by those who are expert in plant dissection, though 

 it is questionable whether they could be found even by the 

 cleverest manipulator in such a small species as the one 

 now under consideration. 



What we do find is a small column at the base of the 

 flower having at its upper part a single stamen, just in 

 front of which is a minute sticky point called the rostellum 

 or beak, and below that two small sticky depressions which 

 represent two stigmas. In most flowers pollen consists of 

 small grains which are separate from each other, although 

 in fuchsia, rhododendron, and a few other common flowers 

 these grains may be loosely tied together by threads of 

 viscine. But in orchids the pollen is fastened into little 

 roundish or pear-shaped masses called pollinia. The 

 reason, no doubt, is that these flowers are very much 

 specialised in form, so that in most species only one kind 

 of insect can pollinate them. The shape of the flower and 

 the position of the nectar, or whatever else is the attrac- 

 tion, compel the insect to enter in one particular direction, 

 and when it does so its head touches the rostellum and 

 gets a small patch of gluey matter on it. The threads 

 which tie the grains together in the pollinia are joined 

 into a tail-like process which ends in the rostellum, so that 

 when the insect withdraws its head it pulls out the pollinia 

 attached to it, usually in two masses. When the insect 

 enters another flower, these pollinia which have mean- 

 while become slightly depressed by their own weight are 

 in such a position that they are right opposite the two 

 stigmas. On being thrust forward against these some of 

 the grains adhere to the sticky surfaces. In this way 

 pollination is brought about. 



I have never yet satisfied myself as to how these little 

 orchids are fertilised, though the probable insect agent in 

 the conveyance of the pollen is a small tawny-coloured fly ; 

 nor is it easy to make out what is the attraction. There 

 does not appear to be any nectar, but the base of the flower 



