SUPPLEMJiNTAllY OBSERVATIONS, &c. 



ORCIIIDE/E. 



In the observations appeiuled to iiiy Pa])er on these two 

 Natural FamiUes, printed in the IGth A^olunie of tlie 

 * Linnean Society's Transactions,' and which rehite entirely 

 to Orcliideac, it is stated, that in several species of Ophrydea3 

 the Tubes, produced either directly from the grains of Pollen, 

 or in consecjuence of their application to the Stigma, were 

 found spread over the surface of the Placentae, and not 

 unfrequently inserted into the aperture of the Ovula. The 

 correctness of this statement I have confirmed, during the 

 })resent season, by numerous observations, not only on the 

 same, but also on several other species. Another remark- 

 able appearance observed in some of these species, espe- 

 cially in Orchis iistidata, fusca, Morio, and in Ojjhn/s 

 opi/era, and which indeed I had before met with, 

 but neglected to mention in my Pa[)er, consists in the 

 elongation and protrusion of the jointed or cellular filament 

 connecting the upper extremity of the Embryo with that 

 of the original nucleus (the Tercine of M. JMiibel). 



The Filament so ])rotruded often equals the whole Ovulum 

 in length, and its elongation seems to depend not only on 

 the enlargement of each of the cells or joints, of which the 

 included thread consists, but also on the production of adiU- 

 tional joints. 



As, however, the Pollen tube is found a[)])lied to the 

 aperture of the Ovulum uniforndy before either the 

 Endjrvo or its thread is distin^_>;uishable, and as I have 



