Chap. Vn. MOEMODES LUXATA. 219 



Although Mormodes ignea is an hermaphrodite, yet 

 it must be as truly dioecious in function as Catasetum ; 

 for as it takes from twelve to fifteen, minutes before 

 the pedicel of an ejected poUinium straightens itself 

 and the anther-case drops off, it is almost certain that 

 within this time an insect with a poUinium attached 

 to its head would have left one plant and floWn to 

 another. 



Mormodes luxata. — This rare and fine species is ferti- 

 lised in the same manner as Mormodes ignea, but differs 

 in several important points of structure. The right 

 and left sides of the same flower differ from one another 

 even in a greater degree than in the last species. One 

 of the petals and one of the sepals project at right 

 angles to the column, while the corresponding ones 

 stand upright and surround it. The upturned and 

 twisted labellum is furnished with two large lateral 

 lobes : of these -one embraces the column, while the 

 other stands partly open on the side where the one 

 petal and sepal lie flat. Insects can thus easily enter 

 the flower on this latter side. All the flowers on the 

 left side of the spike are open on their left sides, while 

 those on the right side are open on this side. The 

 twisted column with all the important accessory parts, 

 together with the rectangularly bent apex, closely re- 

 semble the corresponding parts in M. ignea. But the 

 under side of the labellum does not rest on and press 

 against the rectangularly bent apex of the column. 

 This stands free in the middle of a cup formed by the 

 extremity of the labellum. 



I did not obtain many flowers fit for examination, 

 as three had ejected their poUinia owing to the shocks 

 received during their journey. I pricked deeply the 

 labellum, column and stigma of some of the flowers 

 without any effect ; but when I lightly touched with a 



