114 PRINCIPLES OF PLANT-TEEATOLOGY. 



fectly separate, and inserted in the flower as in the 

 typical Cruciferous type. 



In orchids the stamens become separated from the 

 pistil of the column, which, of course, is a reversion to 

 the original condition, as was seen in double flowers of 

 Miltonia vexillaria in which the column was broken 

 up into its constituent parts. The free stamens which 

 then appear, at least in most cases, are the anterior 

 one of the outer whorl (A^) and the two anterior ones 



FiQ. 113. — Odontoglossum crispum. Fasciated flower (in process of 

 branching into a number of flowers) showing dialysis of the 

 "columns" (more than one present). Pistil completely absent. 

 (Diagram.) s, sepal; p, petal; lb, labeUum; st.lb^, labelliform 

 stamen ; si, stamen 



of the inner whorl {a^ and a^). A similar phenomenon 

 was seen in Odontoglossuin crispum (fig. 113). 



The most ancestral group of the orchids, viz., the 

 Apostasiese* (a tribe of the sub-order Diandrse), takes 

 its name from the fact that the stamens are almost 

 frefe from each other and from the style, tlie column 

 being excessively short. We see here, in fact, the 

 very earliest stage in column-formation in the order. 

 Hence in this group we have a normal counterpart of 

 what is occur'ring abnormally in the Miltonia. 



Masters found dissociated stamens in some of the 



* Eolfe gives a clear account of this group and the Cypripediese, showing 

 their relationship to each other and to the Monandreje. 



