752 



THE NATURE BOOK 



the same way. The beautiful blossoms It is two inches across in one part, from 

 of this orchid (see illustration) have an which it suddenly narrows into a string- 

 abnormal development of the lip, which like tail two feet long. The species 

 in some instances forms a large pouch, hrasiliensis has been called the "Bird's 

 and has led to the name " Bucket " orchid head," and engagingly described b}^ one 



being applied to 

 the plant. 



In some orchids 

 certain parts of 

 the flower are 

 V e r V delicately 

 balanced, and are 

 sensitive to the 

 least breath of 

 wind. A remark- 

 able instance of 

 this is Biilhophyl- 

 liiiii harhigerum, 

 the lip of which 

 is poised with the 

 nicest accuracy, 

 and terminates in 

 a fringe of hairs ; 

 as a result the lip 

 is as restless as a 

 two-year-old boy. 

 The MasdevaUias 

 show a great range 

 of forms, and one 

 of the most singu- 

 lar is that shown 

 in the photograph, 

 Chimara hack- 

 houseana. 



Among orchids 

 with peculiai'ities 

 of foliage may be 

 cited Cynorchis 

 piirpiirascens, 

 which has only a 

 single leaf. 



Lea\'ing the orchids, we may glance at 

 the curious genus of cHmbing shrubs 

 known as Aristolochias. The flowers are 

 distinguished for peculiarity of shape and 

 offensi\'e odour. There is a hardv species 

 called sipho, which is commonly called 

 the Dutchman's Pipe, on account of 

 the shape of the tiny flowers. Then there 

 is the tropical species viacroura. which 

 produces comparati\-ely smaU, contorted 

 blooms, the chief peculiarity of which 

 is the elongation of one of the petals. 



Phofo<^raph by E. j. li'aiiis, Kc.c Kiitmi. 



MASDEVALLIA CHIMERA BACKHOUSEANA. 



colouring 



authority as hav 

 ing " the head of 

 a hawk, the beak 

 of a heron, and 

 the wattles of a 

 Spanish fowl." 

 But the most re- 

 markable of the 

 Aristolochias is 

 certainly the 

 "Pelican flower" 

 igigas Sturtevantii), 

 the buds of which 

 resemble a pelican 

 in the water. The 

 expanded flowers 

 are often eighteen 

 inches across, \\-ith 

 tail - like append- 

 ages three feet 

 long. (See photo- 

 graph, page 751.) 



South Africa 

 gives us a \'ery 

 singular plant in 

 the " Bird of Para- 

 dise flower" {Sirel- 

 itzia regina) which 

 is shown in the pho- 

 tograph on page 

 749. The popular 

 name takes its rise 

 from the curious 

 arrangement of the 

 petals, the beak- 

 like pistil, and the 

 The petals are orange, and 

 the pistil and stamens deep blue. 



The martial title of "Artillery plant" 

 appears, on the face of it, far too formidable 

 for so modest and inoffensive-looking a 

 plant as Pilca uuiscosa. When, however, 

 it sets up a miniature bombardment by 

 discharging pollen in sharp puffs from its 

 stamens the name is seen to be less 

 inapprcjpriate. The device may be one 

 for furthering fertilisation. 



Walter P. Wright. 



