403 



will attach itself to the pencil and come off the 

 column, and the strap will be seen above and be- 

 hind it with the two polliniums connected to it by 

 the threads. 



In the face of the column at the upper end is a 

 large cavity the inner surface of which is glossy 

 because covered with a sticky layer. This is the 

 stigma. If the polliniums be pushed gently into this 

 cavity they will stick to it, and their threads will 

 then be seen to be very elastic and to stretch a good 

 deal without snapping; very likely too (i.e. if the 

 polliniums are really ripe) some of the pollen sub- 

 stance will remain adhering to the stigma. This then 

 is the structure of the Vanda flower an inferior ovary, 

 twisted nearly, or quite, half way round on its axis ; 

 five ordinary looking sepals and petals and one spe- 

 cially modified petal, the labellum, which is spurred 

 at the base ; and a central column, on the top of which 

 is an anther, and on its face the stigma. This being 

 central is usually considered to be made up of two 

 stigmas joined together, while the third stigma (for 

 the ovary has three cells and might therefore expected 

 to have three stigmas) is undeveloped, as also are the 

 other stamens. VANDA ROXBURGHII does not grow 

 in our hill stations, but another plant, very like it in 

 flower, 



* ^EERIDES MACULOSUM, Lindl. is common on rocks 

 and may be taken as the type instead. It is often 

 brought round for sale, for the pink flowers and agree- 

 able scent make the plant a general favourite, but as 

 was said in chapter xii, every species has its own 

 habitat to which it is adapted. It is absurd to expect 



