88 THE ORCHIDS OF NEW ENGLAND. 



gether as we should expect it, but is thrust forward a little, ap- 

 parently through some elasticity of the hinge, so that the pollen- 

 masses, when the lid is partially open, are found to reach a 

 position nearly as far forward as the projecting front of the lid 

 did when closed, although on the removal of the pressure it 

 will revert to its original position ; this again seems to lend its 

 aid in the same direction. 



" Out of nine flowers examined, seven had both pollen-masses 

 and stigmatic surface intact ; the other two had each their stig- 

 matic surface smeared with pollen, and the pollen-masses in one 

 wholly, and in the other partially, removed. The plant very 

 generally has but a single flower, so that by what has been 

 stated it will be seen that with rare exceptions no plant is ever 

 fertilized by its own pollen. It is stated by Prof. Gray in his 

 Manual of Botany, that the Arethuseas all have the fertile anther 

 like a lid over the column, and that this is, after a time, decidu- 

 ous. It may be questioned on this account whether it might 

 not here prove to be directly capable of self-fertilization ; but 

 in one plant examined in which the pollen-masses had been 

 removed, the stigmatic surface smeared with pollen and the 

 petals of the flower quite withered, the lid still remained and 

 no loss of elasticity in the hinge was noticed, so that the anther 

 probably does not fall off till a period subsequent to the fertili- 

 zation of the plant. In another plant, not yet showing any 

 signs of decay, where the pollen had been partially removed, 

 that which remained was much discolored, and even seemed to 

 show signs of decay, as if but a temporary exposure to the at- 

 mosphere were injurious to it. 



" This Orchid agrees more nearly with Dendrobium chrysan- 

 thum than with any other mentioned by Darwin, but differs 

 peculiarly from that in altogether wanting a rostellum, a sec- 

 ond of the characteristic features shared by most Orchids 

 which is wanting in this plant, the pollinia (having no caudicle 

 and disc) being the first." 



