BEES AS FERTILISERS. 



315 



vivifying element (the pollen), in the form of granule! 

 collected in two cells, has here a peculiar structure \ 

 its cells are two, but they are so widely separated 

 (a',a,C) as almost to appear like two separate anthers ; 

 while the pollen they contain . coheres in masses 

 (pollinia, po, D), held together by internal elastic 



&-. a & 



Fig. 68.— Orchid (Order Orchidacecv) Blossoms and Details. 



A, Flower of Orchis Morio, Sepals, two Petals, and side of Spur removed, with Apis 

 Mellifica (ap), Hive Bee, sucking Nectar— a, Anther ; po, Pollinium or Pollen 

 Mass ; r, Rostellum ; st, Stigma (side view) ; I, Labellum ; ov, Ovary ; n, Nectary ; 

 br, Bract. B, Bee fertilising Orchis Morio— a, Anther with Pollinium removed ; 

 po, Pollinium, attached to Bee's Head and applied to Stigma ; other Letterings 

 as before. C, Front View of Orchis Morio, Magnified Three times, Sepals and two 

 Petals removed— It, Lip of Rostellum ; /, /, Fissures in Front of Anther Cells 

 (a', a!) ; other Letterings as before. D, Pollen Masses, &c.—po, Pollinia ; c, Cau- 

 dicle ; vd, Viscid Disc ; vg, Viscid Globe ; Ir, Lip of (>•) Rostellum. E, Head of 

 Bee, carrying (po) Pollinium— an, Antenna 3 . F, Position of— po, Pollinia (thirty 

 seconds later), partially depressed. G, Head of Bee— an, Antennae ; po, Pollinia 

 (sixty seconds later) fully depressed. H, Pollen Granules (much magnified), 

 held'in packets by thin elastic threads. I, Head of Bee, carrying (jjo) Pollinia 

 of one of the Yandex— an, Antennae. 



