﻿422 
  Transactions, 
  — 
  Botany. 
  

  

  etill 
  in 
  tlie 
  anther 
  cells 
  ; 
  fi-om 
  90 
  they 
  had 
  been 
  removed, 
  while 
  in 
  6, 
  dead 
  

   or 
  living 
  insects 
  were 
  found 
  glued 
  to 
  the 
  stigma. 
  Of 
  the 
  whole 
  number 
  

   examined, 
  only 
  a 
  small 
  proportion 
  ultimately 
  produced 
  capsules, 
  

   The 
  flowers 
  of 
  this 
  genus 
  Avill 
  well 
  repay 
  examination. 
  

  

  (4.) 
  Microtis 
  jwrri/oUa. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  flowers 
  of 
  this 
  species 
  the 
  column 
  is 
  protected 
  by 
  a 
  broad, 
  flat 
  

   hood, 
  formed 
  by 
  the 
  posterior 
  sepal 
  and 
  the 
  two 
  lateral 
  petals. 
  The 
  lateral 
  

   sepals 
  are 
  completely 
  reflexed, 
  and 
  lie 
  back 
  against 
  the 
  ovary. 
  The 
  

   labellum 
  is 
  large 
  and 
  pendulous, 
  hanging 
  out 
  from 
  the 
  front 
  of 
  the 
  flower 
  

   like 
  a 
  tongue. 
  It 
  is 
  rectangular 
  in 
  shape, 
  rather 
  longer 
  than 
  broad, 
  with 
  

   the 
  margin 
  crimped 
  and 
  curled, 
  and 
  bearing 
  three 
  glandular 
  projections 
  on 
  

   its 
  surface. 
  Two 
  of 
  these 
  are 
  situated 
  together 
  near 
  the 
  base, 
  and 
  enclose 
  

   a 
  small 
  depression 
  or 
  pit. 
  This, 
  from 
  its 
  position 
  and 
  appearance, 
  I 
  take 
  

   to 
  be 
  a 
  nectary, 
  but 
  I 
  was 
  unable 
  to 
  detect 
  any 
  liquid 
  in 
  it. 
  The 
  third 
  

   gland 
  is 
  formed 
  by 
  an 
  irregular 
  wart-like 
  mass 
  of 
  cells, 
  and 
  is 
  situated 
  -near 
  

   the 
  apex 
  of 
  the 
  labellum. 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  investigated 
  its 
  functions, 
  nor 
  do 
  I 
  

   know 
  how 
  its 
  presence 
  can 
  be 
  accounted 
  for. 
  The 
  column 
  is 
  very 
  short, 
  

   and 
  stands 
  almost 
  square, 
  this 
  appearance 
  being 
  caused 
  by 
  the 
  wings 
  or 
  

   auricles 
  which 
  stand 
  up 
  on 
  each 
  side. 
  Beneath 
  these 
  is 
  the 
  hooded 
  anther, 
  

   enclosing 
  four 
  pollinia, 
  which 
  lie 
  very 
  loosely 
  in 
  their 
  cells. 
  They 
  present 
  

   the 
  appearance 
  of 
  two 
  masses, 
  but 
  each 
  is 
  composed 
  of 
  a 
  large 
  outer 
  and 
  a 
  

   smaller 
  inner 
  sheet, 
  of 
  a 
  reniform 
  shape, 
  united 
  by 
  their 
  threads 
  to 
  a 
  short 
  

   caudicle. 
  In 
  front 
  of 
  and 
  somewhat 
  below 
  them 
  is 
  the 
  viscid 
  rostellum, 
  

   towards 
  the 
  apex 
  of 
  which 
  a 
  minute 
  white 
  point 
  is 
  visible, 
  which 
  marks 
  

   their 
  point 
  of 
  attachment. 
  The 
  rostellum 
  j)rojects 
  considerably 
  outwards, 
  

   so 
  that 
  the 
  stigmatic 
  surface 
  is 
  placed 
  in 
  a 
  recess. 
  The 
  slightest 
  touch 
  on 
  

   the 
  viscid 
  disc 
  suffices 
  to 
  bring 
  away 
  one 
  or 
  both 
  pollinia, 
  the 
  matter 
  being 
  

   excessively 
  viscid. 
  An 
  insect 
  alighting 
  on 
  the 
  rostellum, 
  and 
  advancing 
  its 
  

   head 
  to 
  examine 
  the 
  glands 
  at 
  its 
  base, 
  would 
  be 
  certain 
  to 
  touch 
  the 
  

   rostellum 
  and 
  bring 
  away 
  the 
  pollinia. 
  These 
  fall 
  slightly 
  by 
  their 
  own 
  

   weight, 
  so 
  that 
  on 
  entering 
  a 
  second 
  flower, 
  they 
  would 
  be 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  posi- 
  

   tion 
  on 
  the 
  front 
  of 
  the 
  insect's 
  head 
  as 
  to 
  touch 
  the 
  stigma 
  immediately 
  

   under 
  the 
  rostellum. 
  In 
  the 
  first 
  spike 
  examined 
  by 
  me, 
  32 
  flowers 
  were 
  

   fully 
  opened, 
  and 
  all 
  but 
  the 
  top 
  one 
  had 
  their 
  pollinia 
  removed. 
  

  

  Even 
  when 
  not 
  fertilized 
  by 
  insects 
  however, 
  these 
  flowers 
  are 
  readily 
  

   self- 
  fertilized, 
  and 
  during 
  the 
  past 
  season 
  this 
  appears 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  the 
  

   case 
  with 
  the 
  great 
  majority. 
  After 
  a 
  time, 
  the 
  pollinia 
  appear 
  withered 
  

   and 
  brown, 
  and 
  somewhat 
  dragged 
  forward 
  from 
  their 
  anther 
  cells, 
  while 
  

   the 
  ovary 
  begins 
  to 
  enlarge, 
  showing 
  that 
  pollination 
  has 
  taken 
  place. 
  If 
  

   such 
  flowers 
  are 
  examined 
  carefully, 
  it 
  will 
  be 
  found 
  that 
  the 
  pollen 
  grains 
  

   have 
  emitted 
  a 
  great 
  mass 
  of 
  tubes, 
  which 
  penetrate 
  the 
  upper 
  margin 
  of 
  

  

  