92 



A NATUIt JUSTUS WANDEJtlNGS 



its anther erect qn the posterior port of tli e col amn , Und emeatli 

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

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

 height as a triangular eminence, which corresponds with the front 

 margin of tlie 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 lieen 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- 



rtQ. 20. — ABrKiUKA speciosa, showikg 



A BECTIOX OF COLUWS OPEX^EU FltOM 

 BEHIND ; C, TOP OF fFPEB MAB- 

 OIK OF BTIGMA (CCrtlRESl'ONDlSO TO 

 HOSTELLrM); C", IXJHTION OF STIGMA J 



G, STVLAjarr ca2;al» 



FIG. 21. — Aftt!KD!KA SFECIOSi, DTB SHOW- 

 mi THE TVPm niM OF STIGMA 

 ALREADY TS>TmTED BOWS THK 

 6TXXABY CAKAL; LETTEBS AS IK 

 FIG. 17. 



fiiicnce— which I do not know— causes the upper margin of the 

 stigma to become inverted close doivn the imsierior wall of the 

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

 opened, from behind in Fig. 20, where the rosteUum is seen hang- 

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

 yotmg bud, in which, though the pollinia bad 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 mai'gin 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 



