Chap. VII. MYANTHUS BARBATUS. 2u3 



every naturalist, but cau never be observed without 

 renewed interest. At a period not far distant, natura- 

 lists will hear with surprise, perhaps with derision, that 

 grave and learned men formerly maintained that such 

 useless organs were not remnants retained by inherit- 

 ance, but were specially created and arranged in their 

 proper places like dishes on a table (this is the simile 

 of a distinguished botanist) by an Omnipotent hand 

 " to complete the scheme of nature." 



The third form, Myanthus harhatus (fig. 31, B), is 

 sometimes borne on the same plant together with the 

 two preceding forms. The flowers differ greatly in 

 external appearance, but not in essential structure, 

 from those of both the other forms. Thev generallv 

 stand in a reversed position, compared with those of 

 Catasetum tridentatum and of Monachanthus viridis^ 

 that is, with the labellum downwards. The labellum 

 is fringed in an extraordinary manner with long 

 papillae ; it has a quite insignificant medial cavity, 

 at the hinder margin of which a curious curved and 

 flattened horn projects, which represents the anvil-like 

 projection on the labellum of the male G. callosum. 

 The other petals and sepals are spotted and elongated, 

 with the two lower sepals alone reflexed. The antenna? 

 are not so long as in the male C. tridentatum; they 

 project symmetrically on each side of the horn-like 

 process at the base of the labellum, with their tips, 

 which are not roughened with papilhii', almost entering 

 the medial cavity. The stigmatic chamber is of nearly 

 intermediate size between that of the male and female 

 forms ; it is lined with utriculi charged with brown 

 matter. The straight and well-furrowed ovarium is 

 nearly twice as long as that of the female Monachan- 

 thus, but not so thick where it joins the flower ; the 

 ovules are opaque and puli)y after having been kept 



