126 THE STORY OF THE PLANTS. 



most curious part of it all is that the flower, 

 from the point of view of the bee, resembles 

 three distinct and separate blossoms ; he alights 

 one after another on each bending sepal, and 

 proceeds to search for honey as if in a new 

 flower. 



Highest of all the threefold flowers, and most 

 wonderful in their marriage customs, are the 



FIG. 22. SINGLE FLOWER OF ORCHID, WITH THE 



PERIANTH CUT AWAY. The honey is in the 

 spur, n; the pollen -masses are marked a; 

 their gummy base is at r ; the stigma at st. 



great group of orchids, some of which grow wild 

 in our English meadows, while others fix them- 

 selves by short anchoring roots on the branches 

 of trees in the tropical forests. Many of these 

 last produce the handsomest and most extra- 

 ordinary flowers in the world, and they are 



