136 MALAXED. Chap. V. 



otlier, and afford' the only entrance ; but the presence 

 of these two minute windows (fig. 20) shows how neces- 

 sary it is that insects should visit the flower in this 

 case as in that of most other Orchids. How insects 

 perform the act of fertilisation I have failed to under- 

 stand. At the bottom of the roomy and dark chamber 

 formed by the closed sepals, the minute column stands, 

 and in front of it is the furrowed labellum, with a 

 highly flexible hinge, and on each side the two upper 

 petals ; a little tube being thus formed. When there- 

 „. „. fore a minute insect enters, or 



Fig. 20. . . ' 



which is less probable, a larger in- 

 sect inserts its proboscis through 

 either window, it has to find by 

 the sense of touch the inner tube 

 in order to reach the nectary at 

 the base of the flower. Within 

 the little tube, formed by the 

 ^ML^i^ui FENiis- column, labellum, and lateral 

 TRATA. petals, a broad and hinged rostel- 



The window on the near side Inm proiects at riffht anffleS, 

 is shown darkly shaded. , . , ., , , ^ 



which can easily be upturned. 



, n. nectary. „''...■, 



Its under surface is viscid, and 

 this viscid matter soon sets hard and dry. The minute 

 caudicles of the pollinia, projecting out of the anther- 

 case, rest on the base of the upper membranous surface 

 of the rostellum. The stigmatic cavity when mature 

 is not very deep. After cutting away the sepals I 

 vainly endeavoured, by pushing a bristle into the 

 tubular flower, to remove the pollinia, but by the aid 

 of a bent needle, this was effected without much 

 difficulty. The whole structure of the flower seems 

 as if intended to prevent the flower from being easily 

 fertilised ; and this proves that we do not understand 

 its structure. Some small insect had entered one of 



