TERATOLOGY OP ORCHIDS. 



47 



disposed to do so. A plant of Epidendrum vitellinum is known to 

 produce sucli flowers every year. In it the lip is regvilar, and tlie 

 three outer as well as the three inner stamens are represented l)y 

 petals (see Fig. 8). 



Synanthii. — "When two cells or two buds are in close proximity and 

 more or less pressed upon by surrounding parts, it is not surprising 

 that the cells or buds so situate should adhere one to the other. 

 This indeed is the origin of some but not all of those Siamese twin- 

 like flowers which are so common in plants generally, and which are by 

 no means infrequent among orchids. The union takes place at a 

 very early state of the flower's existence, when in fact they aic 

 in the embryonic condition. Their growth is rapid, disproportionate 



Fig. 8. Regular itelorialu and semi-double llower of Epidciulrudi, viteUinum. 

 (From the Gardeners' Chronicle.) 



to that of the surrounding tissue, hence the union and the compression. 

 Under such circumstances it is to be expected that there will be 

 more or less obliteration of some of the parts of the compressed 

 flowers. The parts placed in the middle, subject on the one side 

 to the growth-force of the developing buds, and on the other to 

 the resistance oft'ered by comparatively unyielding parts, are likely to 

 be squeezed out of existence, and so indeed they are, and a "synanthic" 

 flower made up of two or three in coml)ination, rarely if ever contains 

 the full quota of parts. Again, it is reasonable to expect in such a 

 case that the i)arts or some of them will be displaced and thrown out 

 of position, and so they often are. It is not always easy to determine 

 at first sight how many flowers are concerned in the Composite and 

 which parts are present and which suppressed, but the botanist by 



