CiiAP. I. ORCHIS MASCULA. i 



nectary is shown only in the side view (ti, fig. A) ; 

 for its enlarged orifice is almost hidden in shade in the 

 front view (B). The stigma (s) is bilobed, and con- 

 sists of two almost confluent stigmas ; it lies under the 

 pouch-formed rostellum (r). The anther (a, in B and 

 A) consists of two rather widely separated cells, which 

 are longitudinally open in front : each cell includes a 

 pollen-mass or pollinium. 



A pollinium removed out of one of the two anther- 

 cells is represented by fig. C ; it consists of a number 

 of wedge-formed packets of pollen-grains (see fig. F, 

 in which the packets are forcibly separated), united 

 together by excessively elastic, thin threads. These 

 threads become confluent at the lower end of each 

 pollen-mass, and compose the straight elastic caudicle 

 (c, C). The end of the caudicle is firmly attached to 

 the viscid disc {d, C), which consists (as may be seen 

 in the section of the pouch-formed rostellum, fig. E) 

 of a minute oval piece of membrane, with a ball of 

 viscid matter on its under side. Each pollinium has 

 its separate disc ; and the two balls of viscid matter 

 lie enclosed together (fig. D) within the rostellum. 



The rostellum is a nearly spherical, somewhat 

 pointed projection (r, figs. A and B) overhanging the 

 two almost confluent stigmas, and must be fully de- 

 scribed, as every detail of its structure is full of signi- 

 ficance. A section through one of the discs and balls 

 of viscid matter is given (fig. E) ; and a front view of 

 both viscid dies within the rostellum (fig. D) is like- 

 wise given. This latter figure (D) probably best 

 serves to explain the structure of the rostellum ; but 

 it must be understood that the front lip is here con- 

 siderably depressed. The lowest part of the anther is 

 united to the back of the rostellum, as may be seen 

 in fig. B. At an early period of growth the rostellum 



