CRYPTOPHORANTHUS. y 



a little tube being thus formed. Hence, when a minute insect enters, 

 or a larger insect inserts its proboscis through either window, it has 

 by touch to find the inner tube in order to reach the curious nectary 

 at its base. Within this little tube formed by the column, labellum 

 and petals, a very broad and hinged rostellum projects at right angles, 

 the under surface of which is viscid ; the minute caudicles of the 

 pollinia projecting out of the anther case, rest on the base of the 

 upper membraneous surface of the rostellum. The whole structure of 

 the floAver seems carefully intended to prevent the withdrawal of the 

 pollinia, as well as their subsequent insertion into the stigmatic 

 chamber. Some new and curious contrivance has here to be made 

 out." — Fertilisation of Orchids, pp. 168-69. 



0. Dayanum. 



Stems 2 — 3 inches high, clothed with broad sheathing scales, and 

 bearing a solitary oval leaf 3 — 4 inches long and 2 — 3 inches broad, 



Oryptoplioranthus Dayanum. 

 (From the Gardeners' Chronicle). 



tinged with purple when mature. Peduncles from the base of the 

 leaf, very short, one-flowered. Upper sepal joined to the lower connate 

 two at base and apex, ovate-oblong, acute, slightly convex, and with 

 6 — 7 shallow keels above, pale yellow spotted with deep reddish 

 purple, the spots smaller and more numerous on the basal portion ; 

 lower connate sepals similar with inflexed margins, with a broad keel 

 below and a gibbosity at the base, buff-yellow spotted with purple 

 within, pale buff-yellow beneath, the inflexed margins purple ; petals 



