ORCHIDACE.AL. 387 
there are several, besides those already mentioned, in which six more 
or less perfect stamens have been seen—of these the following may 
be taken as illustrations. A hexandrous flower of Orehis militaris has 
been recorded by Kirschleger,’ and in the accompanying diagram (fig. 
195), from Cramer,? of a monstrous flower of Orchis mascula, there 
is one perfect stamen of the outer row and two lip-like stamens of the 
same series, while the inner verticil comprises one perfect and two 
abortive stamens. 
Morren* describes some flowers of Orchis morio in which there were 
three sepals, three petals, and within the latter two other ternary series 
of petals; this would seem to be a case of petalody of all six stamens. 
Morren, however, seems to have considered the additional segments as 
repetitions of the corolline whorl, though he describes a central mass as 
the column bearing a “ souvenir of the anther.” Nevertheless, there is 
no decisive evidence either in his figure or his description in support of 
his opinion as to the nature of the central mass, which might be a 
distorted condition of the styles, or, as is more probable, a rudimentary 
and irregular flower. Morren also describes another flower of the same 
plant in which there were three sepals, two lateral petals partially lip- 
like in aspect, a third labellum normal, two additional labella represent- 
ing the two anterior stamens of the outer whorl, while more or less 
developed rudiments of the remaining four stamens also exist. 
While, in most cases, the supernumerary stamens can, by reason of 
_ their relative position, their complete or partial antheriferous nature, be 
safely referred to one or other of the six stamens, making up a typical 
orchid flower, there are other specimens in which the additional stamens 
are altogether adventitious, and do not admit of reference to the homo- 
logue. Thus it was in a specimen of Odontoglossum Alexandre ex- 
amined by the writer, and in which, within a normally constructed 
perianth, there were six columns, all polliniferous, but arranged in so 
confused and complicated a manner that it was impossible to make out 
any definite relation in their position. There was nothing to indicate 
a fusion of flowers, but rather an extension of the centre of the flower, 
and consequent displacement of the stamens, &c. Again, the existence 
of adventitious stamens does not necessarily imply the development of 
organs usually suppressed, inasmuch as they may result from the 
assumption by the lateral petals of staminal characteristics. 
Nevertheless, as far as teratology is concerned, specimens may be 
found in which some or all of the usually suppressed stamens of Orchi- 
dacee may be found. These stamens may be all perfect (polliniferous), 
or, as is more frequently the case, more or less petal-like. Moreover, 

' Kirschleger, ‘ Flora,’ 1844, p. 131. 
2 + Bildungsabweich,’ p. 11, tab. xiv, f. 3. 
3 «Bull. Acad. Roy. Belg.,’ t..xix, part 2, p. 171. 
