A FEW NATIVE ORCHIDS 



183 



anthers or pollen receptacle united to a stalk 

 upon which the stigma is also placed, we have an 

 orchid. 



The order is further remarkable, as Darwin 

 first demonstrated in his wonderful volume " The 



Anther. 



Fig. 2 



s. Stigma. 



Fertilization of Orchids," in that the entire group, 

 with very few exceptions, are absolutely depend- 

 ent upon insects for their perpetuation through 

 seed. They possess no possible resource for 

 self-fertilization in the neglect of these insect 

 sponsors. 



Many of our common wild flowers, as perfectly 

 and effectually planned for cross -fertilization as 

 the orchids, do retain the reserve power of final 

 ^^"-fertilization if unfertilized by foreign pollen. 



But the orchid has lost such power, and in 

 the progress of evolution has gradually adapted 

 itself to the insect, often to a particular species 

 of insect, its sole sponsor, which natural selec- 



