Saprophytic Monocotyledon. 5 1 
some holosaprophytic Orchids \ and further suggests that the 
scales function as excretory organs. The occurrence of 
stomata also in the same Orchids seems to imply that the 
leaves function as organs by which any excess of water is 
excreted. 
The vascular strand has an incomplete and rudimentary 
sclerenchymatous sheath which is more strongly developed 
on the lower (outer) side. It is composed of phloem with 
sieve-tubes and much parenchyma, and xylem with a few 
narrow spiral tracheides, and a considerable quantity of 
elongated parenchyma with thin cellulose-walls. 
IV. The Inflorescence and Flowers. 
The flowers are arranged in a corymbose raceme (Fig. 3). 
In my specimens there were never more than four flowers on 
one scape. The flowers are actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, 
and regularly trimerous (Fig. 4). 
The perianth is composed of two whorls of three segments 
each. The free portions of the outer three are narrow, and 
are open in aestivation. The free portions of the inner whorl 
are much broader and larger, and are valvate in aestivation. 
The lower portion of the perianth is adnate to the wall of the 
ovary. In the case of both whorls of the perianth, just below 
their entirely free portions their margins are distinct and 
separate from one another, but their inner (upper) faces are 
fused with the wall of the ovary (Figs./, h). This interesting 
case is sufficient to prove that, in this instance at any rate, the 
wall of the inferior portion of the ovary is partially formed 
by the perianth , and that it is not composed simply of the 
original carpellary tissue together with an adherent excavated 
receptacle. 
The three smaller segments become entirely free at a lower 
level than do the three broader, and are attached lower down. 
They therefore represent the outer whorl. 
1 Percy Groom, Contributions to the Knowledge of Monocotyledonous Sapro- 
phytes. Read before the Linnsean Society, Dec. 20, 1894. 
