A FEW NATIVE ORCHIDS 



215 



freshly opened flower (Fig. 19, A) the column in- 

 clines forward, bringing the anther low down, and 

 its base directl)' opposite the V-shapcd orifice in 

 the lip, which also is quite firmly closed beneath 

 the equally converging upper hood of the blossom. 



fold of sensi- 

 e membrane 

 profectin^ 

 gland 



F.g 19 



The entrance is thus much narrowed. If we in- 

 sert a pin in this V-shaped entrance it comes in 

 contact with the sensitive membrane below the 

 anther, and it is immediately ruptured, as shown 

 at Fig. 20, D. The sticky gland is brought into 

 immediate contact, and clasps the pin, which, now 



