92 



A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



its anther erect on the posterior part of the column. Underneath 

 is the stigma, of a roughly square shape, its upper rim standing 

 erect in front of the poUinia, rising to about one third of their 

 height as atriangular eminence, which corresponds with the front 

 margin of the rostellar platform. It is not in every flower that 

 the shape of the stigma can be seen well, for the stage presently 

 to be described begins very soon, often before the flower is 

 expanded ; and only by the examination of a very large series 

 have I been able to follow the modifications that have 

 occurred. 



Concurrent with or even before the commencement of 

 the rotation of the anther into its normal position some in- 



FIG. 20. — -VRCNDINA SPEUIOSA, SHOWING 

 A SECTION- OF COLUMN OPENED PUOM 

 BEHIND ; C, TOP OP TJPPEB MAK- 

 GIN OF STIGMA (COKRESPONDING TO 

 ECSTELLUM); C-, PORTION OF STIGMA; 

 G, STYLART CANAL. 



FIG. 21. — AKL'NDINA SPECIOSA, BUD SHOW- 

 ING THE LPPER RIM OF STIGMA 

 ALREADY INVERTED DOWN THE 

 STYLAr.Y canal; letters AS IN 

 FIG. 17. 



fluence — which I do not know—, causes the upper margin of the 

 stigma to become inverted close down the posterior wall of the 

 stylary canal, as seen in Fig. 17, and in longitudinal section 

 opened from hehind in Fig. 20, v.'here the rostellum is seen hang- 

 ing down the canal as a narrow band. Fig. 21 represents a very 

 young bud, in which, though the poUinia had scarcely begun 

 to rotate, the stigma had become already much modified, and is 

 in waiting for the rotation of the pollinia. Along with this in- 

 vagination of the upper margin of the stigma (the rostellum) its 

 lower lip is in consequence dragged (?) upwards. Dissections 

 of the column showed that the rostellum goes on elongating 

 down the stylary canal, as in Fig. 20, while the pollinia, slowly 

 continuing to rotate downwards, finally precipitate them- 

 selves into the stigma, whose flap-like margins embrace the 



