STRUCTURE OF FLOWER OF ORCHIDEjE. 519 



universal throughout the group, and exists in no other, and thus 

 distinguishes the Orchideae from all other orders of the vegetable 

 kingdom, the Linnaean class Gynandria exactly represents the 

 order we are now considering. In the middle of the flower, just 

 above the hole in the labellum which leads to the spur, half hidden 

 by the petals, is a flat fleshy-looking body, represented on an 

 enlarged scale, at B. The upper part of this is seen to be divided, 

 by a channel down its middle, into two lobes, each of which is 

 considerably swollen at one part of the side ; and over this swollen 

 portion there is a fissure, running from one end of it to the other, 

 which will open if the lobe be pressed. If the contents of this 

 swelling be examined, they will be found to consist of an olive- 

 green mass, composed of minute granules adherent together, and 

 tapering gradually into a long stalk, by which it is attached. On 

 examining the nature of these granules with the microscope, it 

 is clearly seen that they are in reality pollen-grains ; and that 

 thus the whole mass corresponds with the usual contents of an 

 anther-lobe, in an adherent state. Hence it follows, that the 

 whole of this curious structure is to be regarded as a metamor- 

 phosed stamen ; the channel down its middle marking the division 

 of the anther-lobes, and the fissures on the two sides being ana- 

 logous to the suture or split, by which other anthers discharge 

 their contents (. 433). On each side of the base of the anther 

 is a little roundish knob, which has something of a granular 

 character, and which is to be regarded as a rudimentary stamen. 

 At the foot of the anther (lower part of B, Fig. 188) is a pale 

 fleshy cup, one side of which is curved over its cavity ; this is 

 called the hood ; and at the bottom of it is the viscid stigmatic 

 surface. Here, then, we have the essential parts of the appa- 

 ratus of fructification ; only one style and one stigma, however, 

 being developed ; and these being adherent to one another. This 

 latter character runs through the whole of the Orchideous group ; 

 as to the former, however, there is some variation. Thus, in the 

 Cypripedium, or Lady's Slipper, a British Orchideous plant, the 

 two little prominences just mentioned are fully developed into 

 stamens, whilst the central one, which is here developed, is rudi- 



