148 EPIDENDllEiE. Chap. V. 



only about one per cent, contained an embryo. Similar 

 seeds were more carefully examined by Mr. Gosse, who 

 found that two per cent, contained an embryo. About 

 twenty-five per cent, of the seeds from a self-fertilised 

 capsule of Lselia cinndbarina, also sent to me by 

 Mr. Anderson, were found to be good. It is therefore 

 doubtful whether the capsules spontaneously self-ferti- 

 lised in the West Indies, as described by Dr. Criiger, 

 were fully and properly fertilised. Fritz Miiller in- 

 forms me that he has discovered in South Brazil 

 an Epidendrum which bears three pollen-producing 

 anthers, and this is a great anomaly in the order. 

 This species is very imperfectly fertilised by insects ; 

 but by means of the two lateral anthers the flowers 

 are regularly self-fertilised. Fritz Miiller assigns good 

 reasons for his belief that the appearance of the two 

 additional anthers in this Epidendrum, is a case of 

 reversion to the primitive condition of the whole 

 group.* 



* See also ' Bot. Zeitung,' 186[), p. 226, and 1870, p, 152. 



