Botany and Zoology. 425 



will not touch the viscid discs, they lying a little too far back: but on 

 pushing it down deep into the long and curving spur (only the lower half 

 or quarter of which is filled with nectar) it has to be bowed back some- 

 what, when it catches the discs. So that before an insect can have 

 drained the nectary, the pollinia will be affixed to the base or upper part 

 of its proboscis, or to the forehead of an insect of smaller size. When 

 extricated, the movement of depression is prompt — within a few seconds, — 

 and on re-application the pollen is accurately brought in contact with 

 the stigma. The discs in place look forwards and downwards. We find 

 in this species and in P. lacera (both common species and flowering at 

 the same time in the latter part of summer), that the nectar appears to 

 be much more plentiful in the spurs of older than of freshly-opened blos- 

 soms, most so indeed in flowers which had their pollina removed and 

 their stigma fertilized several days before, and which were becoming 

 effete. In such flowers the spur was often half full in the present species, 

 and sometimes almost full in P. lacera. But although little had dripped 

 down to the bottom of the spur in freshly-opened blossoms, the walls 

 were moistened with nectar throughout its length. 



Platanthera lacera, the Ragged" Orchis, like the last, must be very at- 

 tractive to some insects, the pollen-masses are so generally removed from 

 oldish flowers, and the stigma fertilized. The nectary can be approached 

 only from the front, the sides being thoroughly guarded by a broad and 

 thick shield on each side— the arms of the stigma much developed— 

 above supporting the anther, while its inner and concave face bears the 

 remarkably long and narrow viscid discs: posteriorly, on its upper mar- 

 gin, a sort of cellular crest is developed. These guards come forward in 



above and below the space is wider. The viscid disc which adheres to 

 the inner face of each guard or arm of the stigma, instead of orbicular 

 and small, is lanceolate in shape, with the anterior end broadest, the pos- 



middle, no 'drum-like pedicel' intervening. When detached by a probe 

 or bristle brought in contact with the vistMd disc, a movement of depres- 

 sion takes place, bv which the stalk and pollinium are brought down so 

 as to be nearly parallel to the disc, and close to it.— just in proper posi- 

 tion to reach the stigma upon bringing the probe back again to the ori- 

 fice of the nectary. 



Platanthera dilatata. The general structure of the flower in this 

 species we had occasion to desciibe in the preceding number of the 

 Journal (p. 259) : this need not be repeated. It accords wih P. lacera in 

 having very large and strap-shaped viscid discs, but in no other respect. 

 For in this the anther-cells are appoxiraate and nearly parallel ; and the 

 discs are parallel and vertical, approximate, and placed ■ 



long as the pollen-mass and its stalk togetl 

 , and is attached to its disc j 



mg torwaras; tney are nearly 

 ether ; the latter is short and 



The t 



