ORCHIDACE^ — IRIDACE^ 



413 



is at the two ends of the horse-shoe, and by one or other 

 of these (Fig. 336, e) the insect generally escapes, in doing 

 which, however, it almost inevitably comes in contact 

 with, and carries off some of the pollen from the corre- 

 sponding anther. 

 The pollen of this 

 genus is immersed 

 in a viscid fluid, by 

 means of which it 

 adheres first to 

 the insect, and 

 secondly to the 

 stigma, while in 

 most Orchids it is 

 the stigma which 

 is viscid. 



In a Trinidad 

 species, Coryan- 

 thes macrantha,^ 

 the basal part of 

 the lip forms 

 bucket, which 

 secretes a copious 

 fluid which wets the wings of the bees, and by rendering 

 them temporarily incapable of flight, compels them to 

 creep out through the small passages close to the anther 

 and stigma, thus securing, though by difterent means, 

 the object which in Cypripedium is efi"ected by the 

 inflected margins of the labellum. 



Fig. 335. Fig. 



Fig. 335. — Flower of Oypri]pedhi'm Calceolus. Front 

 view. 

 a Fig. 336.— Side view. 



a, anther ; e, exit ; i, entrance ; o, interior of 

 lip ; q, incurved edge of lip ; st, stigma. 



lEIDACE^ 



The conspicuousness of the flowers is sometimes 

 considerably enhanced by the coloured styles and 

 stigmas. Perianth 6 -leaved, petaloid; springing from 

 the top of the ovary. Stamens 3. 



' See Criiger in Jburn. Linn. Soo. viii. (1864). 



