i843->S62] HOM<>: 0G1 275 



strongly R. Brown, for I have succeeded (perha] . but Letter 603 



he does not say so) in tracing the vessels belonging to each 



organ in front of each other to the same bundle in the 



ovarium: thus the vessels going to the Lower .1, to the 



side of the labellum, and to one stigma when there are two) 



all distinctly branch from one ovarian bundle. So in other 



cases, but I have not completely traced (only seen; that goin 



to the rostellum. But here comes my only point of novelty : 



in all orchids as yet looked at even one with so simple a 



labellum as Gytnnadenia and Malaxis the vessels on the tv, 



sides of the labellum are derived from the bundle which goes 



to the lower sepal, as in the diagram. This leads me to 



conclude that the labellum is always a compound organ. 



Now I want to know whether it is conceivable that the 



vessels coming from one main bundle should penetrate an 



organ (the labellum) which receives its vessels from another 



main bundle? Does it not imply that all that part of the 



labellum which is supplied by vessels coming from a lateral 



bundle must be part of a primordially distinct organ, however 



closely the two may have become united ? It is curious 



in Gytnnadenia to trace the middle anterior bundle in the 



ovarium : when it comes to the orifice of the nectary it turns 



and runs right down it, then comes up the opposite side and 



runs to the apex of the labellum, whence each side of the 



nectan - is supplied by vessels from the bundles, coming from 



the lower sepals. Hence even the thin nectan- is essentially, 



1 infer, tripartite ; hence its tendency to bifurcation at its top. 



This view of the labellum always consisting of three organs 



(I believe four when thick, as in Morti at base; seems to 



me to explain its great size and tripartite form, compared 



with the other petals. Certainly, if I may trust the vessels, 



the simple labellum of GymnacU 1 nsists of three ori; 



soldered together. Forgive me for writing at such length; 



a very brief answer will suffice. I am desperately interested 



in the subject : the destiny of the whole human race is as 



nothing to the course of vessels of orchids. . . . 



What plant has the most complex single stigma and 

 pistil? The most complex I, in my ignorance, can think 

 of is in Iris. I want to know whether anything beats in 

 modification the rostellum of Catasetum. To-morrow I mean 

 to be at Catasetum. Hurrah! What species is it? It 



