Chap. U OPHKYS MUSCIFEBA. 45 



CHAPTER II. 



OPHEE^ — continued. 



Fly and Spider Ophrys — Bee Ophrys, apparently adapted Or perpetnaJ 

 self-fertilisation, but with paradoxical contrivances for intercrossing 

 — Herminium monorchis, attachment of the poUinia to the front legs 

 of insects — Peristylus viiidis, fertilisation iudirtctly effected by nectar 

 secreted from three parts of the labeUum— Gymnadenia conopsea, 

 and other species — Habenaria or Platanthera chlorantha and 

 bifolia, their pulliuia attached to the eyes of Lepidoptera — Other 

 species of Habenaria — Bonatea — ^Disa— Summary on the powers of 

 movement in the polliniu. 



The genus Ophiys differs from Orchis chiefly in 

 having separate pouch-formed rostella,* instead of 

 the two being confluent. 



In Ophrys musoifera, or the Fly Ophrys, the chief 

 peculiarity is' that the caudicle of the poUinium 

 (B, fig. 5) is doubly bent. The nearly circular piece 

 of membrane, to the under side of which the ball of 

 viscid matter adheres, is of considerable size, and forms 

 the summit of the rostellum. It is thus freely exposed 



♦ It is not correct to speak of fold of membrane (see B in fig. 1) 



two rostella, but the inaccuracy projecting between the bases of 



miiy be forgiven from its conve- the anther-cells. This folded 



nienoe. The rostellum strictly is crest (sometimes converted into a 



a single organ, formed by the solid ridge) corresponds with the 



moditication of the dorsal stigma smooth surface lying between the 



and pistil; so that in (Iphrys the two pouches in Ophrys, and owes 



two pouches, the two viscid discs, its protuberant and folded condi- 



and the space between them to- tion in Orchis to the two pouches 



gether form the true rostellum. having been brought together and 



Again, in Orchis I have spoken of rendered confluent. This modi- 



the pouch-formed organ as the fication will be more fully ex- 



rostellum, but strictly the rostel- plained in a future chapter, 

 um includes the liltle crest or 



