108 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. : [ May, 
serve for collecting nutriment for the succeeding plant, the | 
eye or bud of which is formed close to the old or last year's — 
stem. At times the plant produces several of these eyes in 
one season; indeed, during the present summer I counted 
sixteen and twenty-six flowering stems on two plants, andit 
is not at all uncommon for three or four stems to be foun 
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under certain conditions, the roots of this plant produce eyes _ 
or buds; but, strange as it may appear, this is not the case 
in all, for I have examined numbers without any such means 
of reproduction. In many instances, also—indeed, it is the 
general rule in this district—the plant in question is destitute — 
of 4 rostellum, the viscid matter at the base of the pollinia — 
being free or uncovered, thus imitating in structure the de 
graded and self-fertilized Cephulanthera grandifora. 
ow, can it be that Epipactis latifolia, from not beimg — 
sufficiently attractive to insects, ~ér from the want of propel 
insects in this country to fertilize it, is gradually becommg — 
modified, and propagation by increase of the root slowly ba 
surely taking the place of seed, or at least materially assist 
ing to prevent the extinction of the plant, as would im all 
probability result from the present imperfect fertilization and 5 
subsequent small production of seed? This is rendered all : 
the more probable by the curious fact that in most, if not aly 
of our native orchids that are either partially or wholl selt- 
fertilized, nature, as if to make up for the small pr uction 
of seed, has endowed them with special facilities for perpet™ 
ation, namely, by increase of the root. a 
__ Take the example of Meottia nidus-avis, which is Ve) 
imperfectly cross-fertilized, but In which nearly all the roo 
lets produce young plants; also, that of E-pipactis latife one 
which, under certain circumstances, behaves in a similat 
manner. Again, Ophrys apifera, which is, perhapss 
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