267 



In the early stage of development, the anther is placed 

 perfectly upright on the apex of the column with its two 

 large parallel cells bulging anteriorly. There is as yet no 

 marginal growth to the stigma, and its surface, which is 

 already viscid, is fully exposed as a rounded depression on 

 the face of the column. Its appendages show as a blue dot 

 on each side at the base of the anther-cells. 



As development proceeds, the anther begins to descend 

 and it gradually assumes an oblique position; the margins 

 of the stigma grow upwards and inwards, so as to more 

 readily accommodate the abundant secretion; the entrance 

 to the stigmatic-cavity is further constricted by the growth 

 of the appendages, whose function it is to limit the downward 

 progress of the anther. 



Dehiscence takes place in the early bud, when the anther 

 has been brought to rest in the horizontal position by contact 

 with the stigmatic appendages. Internally the anther is 

 divided into two complete or primary cells, each of which 

 is subdivided into two incomplete chambers. The four cells 

 contain eight pollinia, arranged in an upper and a lower 

 series of two pairs each. The former is accommodated in the 

 upper part of the anther-cap, the points of the masses con- 

 verging towards the apex of the anther and their bodies 

 disposed radially towards the circumference. The second 

 series, which is somewhat larger than the first, is situated 

 immediately below, but considerably to the rear of the upper 

 ones and overlapping their bases. Their covering membranes 

 bulge considerably below the rim of the anther-cap. 



The masses appear to be more or less embedded in a 

 yellow granular matrix of a flocculent filamentous nature. 

 This material is most abundant towards the apices, but it is 

 also to be observed between the bodies of the masses as well 

 as between the pollinia and the various septa. A careful 

 examination of the anther before dehiscence shows that the 

 matrix has become consolidated into linear bands or caudicles 

 connecting together the apices of each upper and lower pair 

 of pollinia in the dichotomous manner so beautifully illus- 

 trated by Francis Bauer, (D more than a century ago, in 

 Bletia Tankervilliae. These caudicles are of an unstable and 

 fragile nature, and become broken up or pulverised after 

 dehiscence, or even before, consequently they are only to be 

 seen and dissected out in the early bud. Each pollen-mass is 

 somewhat rounded or ovate with a short acute apex, and is 

 also plano-convex, the plane surfaces of each pair being in 

 apposition. 



(i) Illustrations of Orchidaceous Plants, Tab. 1. 



