ORCHIDEAE 



405 



2625. O. apifera Huds. (Robert Brown, Trans. Linn. Soc, London, xvi, 

 1833; Ridley, J. Linn. Soc. Bot., London, xxiv, 1888; Darwin, op. cit., p. 52; 

 Kirchner, op. cit., pp. 172-3.) The dark-brown, velvety labellum of this species 

 possesses a yellowish marking, and at the base there is a crescent-shaped, purple- 

 brown patch. Insect-visits must be very rare, for none have yet been observed ; 

 propagation is therefore effected by automatic self-pollination, the poUinia on their 

 very long caudicles hanging out of the anther-loculi soon after the flower opens, 

 and sinking so far down that they touch the 

 stigma. Darwin states that autogamy is en- 

 tirely effective. 



2626. O. 



op. cit., p. 51 



arachnites Lam. (Darwin, 

 Eckstein, 'Eigent. Befrucht. 

 b. Ophrys arachnites ' ; Cromans, Just's bot. 

 Jahresber., Leipzig, (1884) 1886, p. 682.) 

 Eckstein and Cromans say that this species 

 also is propagated by means of automatic 

 self-pollination. Eckstein states that the pol- 

 linia possess rather long caudicles, coiled like 

 a lepidopterid proboscis, and attach themselves 

 firmly to the stigma, when the spirals unroll. 



2627. O. oestrifera Bieb. (=0.cornuta 

 Stev.). Kerner says that in this species the 

 two hollow cones situated on the upper lip 

 serve as supports for insect visitors. 



I have watched numerous species of 

 Ophrys on the island of Capri, but have never 

 seen insects visit them ; Appel says the same 



of O. Bertolonii Moretti and O. arachnites Lavi. in the neighbourhood of Riva 

 and Gargnano on Lake Garda. 



Fig. 374. Ophrys apifera^ Huds: (after 

 Darwin). A. Side view of flower, with the 



upper sepal and the two upper petals removed. 

 One pollinium, with its disk still in its pouch, 

 is represented as just falling out of the anther ; 

 and the other has fallen almost to its full extent, 

 opposite to the hidden stigma (enlarged), a, 

 anther; //, labellum. B. Pollinium in the 

 position in which it lies embedded (still further 

 enlarged). 



821. Herminium L. 



Small-insect flowers. 



2628. H. alpinum L. (=Chamaeorchis alpina Rich., and Ophrys alpina Z.). 

 (Herm. Miiller, 'Alpenblumen,' pp. 73-5.) Herm. Muller supposes that the small, 

 odourless, greenish-yellow flowers of this species are visited and crossed by small 

 ichneumon-flies and minute flies or beetles. He also states that automatic self- 

 pollination is rendered difficult. 



Visitors. Vide supra. 



2629. R. Monorchis R. Br. (= Ophrys Monorchis Z.). (Darwin, op. cii., 

 p. 59; Herm. Miiller, 'Alpenblumen,' pp. 72-3 ; Kerner, 'Nat. Hist. PI.,' Eng. Ed. i, 

 II, p. 256.) The flowers of this species are adapted for pollination by small insects 

 or ichneumon-flies (cf. Vol. I, p. 137). They are small and greenish-yellow in 

 colour, with a strong odour of nectar. 



