224 VANDE^. Chap. VII. 



this surface becomes at a later period adhesive so as to 

 secure the pollen-masses. The ovules when kept for 

 some time in alcohol were filled with brownish pulpy 

 matter, as is always the case with perfect ovules. 

 Therefore it appears that this Cycnoches must be an 

 hermaphrodite ; and Mr. Bateman, in his work on the 

 OrchidesB, says that the present species produces seeds 

 without being, as I understand, artificially fertilised ; 

 but how this is possible is unintelligible to me. On 

 the other hand, Beer says * that the stigma of Cyc- 

 noches is dry, and that the plant never sets seeds. 

 According to Lindley G. ventrieosum produces on the 

 same scape flowers with a simple labellum, others with 

 a much segmented and differently coloured labellum 

 (viz., the so-called G. egertonianvm), and others in an 

 intermediate condition. From the analogous differ- 

 ences in the flowers of Catasetum, we are tempted to 

 believe that we here have male, female, and herma- 

 phrodite forms of the same species of Cycnoches. t 



I have now finished my description of the Catasetidse 

 as well as of many other Vandese. The study of these 

 wonderful and often beautiful productions, with all 

 their many adaptations, with parts capable of move- 

 ment, and other parts endowed with something so like, 

 though no doubt different from, sensibility, has been to 

 me most interesting. The flowers of Orchids, in their 

 strange and endless diversity of shape, may be com- 



* Qudledbvlrmisih, 'Bcitrage Mr. Bateman also says tliat C. 



ziir Biologie cier Orchidetn,' 1 85;!, egertonianum lias been known to 



p. 22. produce in Guatemala and oneo 



t Lindley's ' Vegetable King- in England scapes of a purplc- 



dom,' 1853, p. 177. He has also flowered and widely different spe- 



published in the 'Botanical Kegis- cies of Cycnoches ; but that it 



ter,' fol. 1951, a cose of two forms generally produces in England 



appearing on the same scape of scapes of the common yellow C, 



another siiecies of Cycnoches. ventrieosum. 



