] 04: NEOTTE.E. Chap. IV. 



to the air. The protuberant surface of the rostelluin, 

 when gently rubbed upwards, is easily removed, and 

 carries with it a strip of membrane, to the hinder part 

 of which the pollinia are attached. The sloping sides 

 which support the rostellum are not removed at the 

 same time, but remain projecting up like a fork and 

 soon wither. The anther is borne on a broad elon- 

 gated filament ; and a membrane on both sides unites 

 this filament to the edges of the stigma, forming an 

 imperfect cup or clinandrum. The anther-cells open 

 in the bud, and the pollen-masses become attached 

 by their anterior faces, just beneath their summits, 

 to the back of the rostellum. Ultimately the anther 

 opens widely, leaving the pollinia almost naked, but 

 partially protected within the membranous cup or 

 clinandrum. Each pollinium is partially divided 

 lengthways ; the pollen-grains cohere in subtriangular 

 packets, including a multitude of compound grains, each 

 consisting of four grains ; and these packets are tied 

 together by strong elastic threads, which at their upper 

 ends run together and form a single flattened brown 

 elastic ribbon, of which the truncated extremity adheres 

 to the back of the rostellum. 



The surface of the orbicular stigma is remarkably 

 viscid, which is necessary in order that the unusually 

 strong threads connecting the packets of pollen should 

 be ruptured. The labellum is partially divided into 

 two portions ; the terminal portion is reflexed, and 

 the basal portion is cup-formed and filled with nectar. 

 The passage between the rostellum and labellum is 

 contracted whilst the flower is young ; but when mature 

 the column moves further back from the labellum, so 

 as to allow of insects with the pollinia adhering to 

 their proboscides, to enter the flowers more freely. In 

 many of the specimens received, the pollinia had been 



