548 NAMES AND OBSERVATIONS ON INDIAN PLANTS. 



in the filaments being at base connate with the lower part 

 of the style, and in a great degree in habit. In endea- 

 vouring to estimate the importance of the several points of 

 resemblance and difference here enumerated, with a view to 

 decide on the degree of relationship Apostasia bears to 

 OrchidecB, it is necessary to consider the relative position of 

 the parts of the flower in that order, and also in Scita- 

 minecB, the family most nearly allied to it. 



The relation of stamina to the parts of the floral enve- 

 lope in Apostasia is in the first place to be determined. 

 The two antheriferous filaments, which I have more par- 

 ticularly examined in the unexpanded flowers of Apostasia 

 nuda, appear to be opposite to the two lateral segments of 

 the inner series of the perianthium ; and the sterile 

 filament in Apostasia Wallichii, and, no doubt, also in A. 

 odorata, is opposite to the anterior segment of its outer 

 series. 



Several years since, I advanced the opinion, " That in a 

 complete flower, whose parts are definite, the number of 

 stamina, and also of pistilla, is equal to that of the calyx 

 and corolla united in Dycotyledones, and of both series of 

 the perianthium in Monocotyledones."^ 



It may be further observed that, in cases of reduction of 

 pistilla, it is generally found that the remaining carpella, 

 when more than one, but inferior in number to that of one 

 series of the floral envelope, correspond in position with 

 parts of both series, and, with very few exceptions, whether 

 distinct or confluent, are all equally developed. Stamina, 

 on the other hand, in cases of equal reduction, generally 

 belong to one of the series only, or, if corresponding with 

 parts of both series, are usually in different states of 

 development, as they are here described to be in two species 

 of Apostasia. 



This appearance of part of the inner series of stamina 

 has not hitherto been expressly remarked in Orchideee. It 

 is not improbable, however, that the same relation to 

 perianthium exists in the lateral antheriferous stamina of 



I In 1826, ('// Appendix to ' Den ham and Clapperton's IVavels,' p. 237 {vol. i 

 p. 293). 



