"Blossom Hosts and Insect Guests 



the column, and at a sharp inward angle, is the 

 stigma. In the freshly opened flower (Fig. 3, A) 

 the column inclines forward, bringing the anther low 

 down, and its base directly opposite the V-shaped 

 orifice in the lip, which also is quite firmly closed 

 beneath the equally converging upper hood of the 

 blossom. The entrance is thus much narrowed. If 



we insert a pin in 

 this V-shaped en- 

 trance, it comes 

 in contact w^ith 

 the sensitive mem- 

 brane below the 

 anther, and it is 

 immediately rup- 

 tured, as shown at Fig. 4, D. The sticky gland is 

 brought into immediate contact, and clasps the pin, 

 which, now being withdrawn, brings away the pollen, 

 as in E and F. Thus it is naturally removed on the 

 tongue of its sipping bee. 



The further demonstration will be better shown 

 by profile sections (Fig. 5). Nectar is secreted in 

 the hollow of the lip indicated, somewhat as in the 

 cypripedium. If we now imitate with a probe the habit 

 of the insect and the action of its tongue, we may 

 witness a beautiful contrivance for cross-fertilization. 



148 



PROPERTVOF 



A. AM. COLLEGE library; 



