( i5° ) 
natural fizc. I have alfo given an engraving 
of the feparate parts magnified: with thefe 
the natural flower fliould be compared. Each 
flower contains two ftamens, the ftructure of 
which is very curious. Each of thefe ftamens 
is contained within a bag or cafe, the edges of 
which fold over each other, and open in front, 
as the plant advances towards maturity. At 
this period, in many of the orchis tribe, they 
hang down, out of their cafes, towards the 
fligma, and on the flighteft pull they are drawn 
out. If gently drawn with a fine needle, they 
will be found elaftic ; and a fmall transparent 
globule may be Teen at the bafe of each fla- 
me n, and at the top a club-fhaped fubftance, 
in moft of the fpecies of a yellow colour, the 
furface of which is covered with fmall grains; 
thefe mult be efteemed anthers. In a mag- 
nified view of the ftamens the anthers will be 
found .compofed of irregularly fquare cor- 
pufcles united together by fine elaftic threads. 
That thefe corpufcles produce the fame effect 
as the anther dull of common flowers, feems 
highly probable, although, at prefent, the 
manner of their doing fo is not known. 
Many of the orchis tribe have their feed-? 
veffels l^ge, well formed, and filled with 
feeds j 
