128 MALAXED. CUAP. V 



CHAPTER V. 



MALAXED AND EPIDENDKE^. 



"Jlalaxis paludosa— Masdevallia, curious closed flowers — Bolbophyllnm, 

 labcllum kept in constant movement by every breath of air — Dendro- 

 bium, contrivance for self-fertilisation — Cattleya, simple manner of 

 fertilisation — Epidendrum — Self-fertile Epidendi-ese. 



I HAVE now described tlie manner of fertilisation 

 fifteen genera, found in Britain, which belong, accord- 

 ing to Lindley's classification, to the Ophreae, Arethu- 

 seae, and Neotteae. A brief account of several foreign 

 genera belonging to these same tribes has been added, 

 from observations published since the^ appearance of 

 the first edition of this book. AVe will now turn to 

 the great exotic tribes of the Malaxeae, Epidendrea?, 

 and Yandese, which ornament in so wonderful a 

 manner the tropical forests. 3Iy chief object in 

 examining these latter forms has been to ascertain 

 whether their flowers were as a general rule fertilised 

 by pollen brought by insects from another j^lant. I 

 also wished to learn whether the pollinia underwent 

 those curious movements of depression by which, as 

 I had discovered, they are placed, after being removed 

 by insects, in the proper position for striking the 

 stigmatic surface. 



By the kindness of many friends and strangers I 

 have been enabled to examine fresh flowers of several 

 species, belonging to at least fifty exotic genera, in 

 the several sub-tribes of the above three great tribes.* 



I am particularly indebted to Dr. Hooker, who on every coca 



