198 VANDE.E. Chap. VU. 



and are more transparent ; T examined for comparison 

 those of many kinds of Orchids which had been kept 

 in spirits, and in all found them much less transparent. 

 In G, tridentatunfiy the ovarium is shorter, much less 

 deeply furrowed, narrower at the base, and internally 

 more solid than in Monachanthus. Again, in all 

 three species of Catasetum the ovule-bearing cords 

 are short ; and the ovules present a considerably dif- 

 ferent appearance, in being thinner, more transparent, 

 and less pulpy than in the numerous other Orchids 

 examined for the sake of comparison. Perhaps these 

 bodies hardly ought to be called ovules, although they 

 correspond closely in general appearance and position 

 with true ovules, for I was unable in any case to make 

 out the opening of the testa and the included nucleus ; 

 nor were the ovules ever inverted. 



From these several facts, namely, — the shortness, 

 smoothness, and narrowness of the ovarium, the short- 

 ness of the ovule-bearing cords, the state of the ovules 

 themselves, the stigmatic surface not being viscid, the 

 transparent condition of the utriculi, — and from neither 

 Sir R. Schomburgk nor Dr. Criiger having ever seen 

 G. tridentahmi producing seed in its native home, 

 or when artificially fertilised, we may confidently 

 look at this species, as well as the other species of 

 Catasetum, as male plants. 



With respect to Monachantlius viridis, and Myanthus 

 barhatus, the President of the Linnean Society has 

 kindly permitted me to examine the spike bearing 

 these two so-called genera, preserved in spirits, which 

 was sent home by Sir K. Schomburgk. The flower of 

 the Monachanthus (A, fig. 31) resembles pretty closely 

 in external appearance that of Gatasetum tridentatum 

 (fig. 30). The labellum, which holds the same relative 

 position to the other parts, is not nearly so deep, 



