

NATURAL ORDERS ied 
year; from this new tuber arises the stem of the following 
year. | i 
Leaves : radical, rather broad, and often spotted. | 
Inflorescence: a spike. 
Flowers: reddish purple, irregular and epigynous. 
131 ey. 

Fic. 131.—FLower or Orcuis (Fronr View). 
Fic. 182.—FLower oF ORcHIS (SIDE VIEW). 
1, labellum ; 0, ovary ; p, pollinia; s, spur of labellum; 7, rostellum ; 
_k, sepals; c, anterior petals. 
Structure  Perianth, 3+3. The outer whorl consists of 
of Flower. 3 petaloid leaves, the inner also of the same 
number. The largest leaf of the inner whorl forms a lower 
lip, and appears to be on the anterior side of the flower; it is 
prolonged into a spur (Fig. 131, s), secretes nectar, and is 
called the labellum (/). 
The peculiarity of the structure of an Orchid is that the 
androecium and gyneecium are united to each other, the stamen 
being combined with the style, forming what is called the 
column. Only one stamen is developed. The anther is 
2-lobed, and the pollen grains found in each anther-lobe are ~ 
united into masses, called’ pollinia. The best way to see this 
is to take a pencil with a sharp point and put it into the spur. 
The pencil must touch a little pouch-like organ, exactly 
opposite the labellum and projecting into the gangway of the 
nectary ; this is the rostellum (Fig. 131, 7). . Into this 
rostellum the discs of the pollinia fit; consequently, as the 
