On the Various Contrivances by Which British and Foreign Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, and the Good Effects of Intercrossing.

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1862. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... ably run into the same ovarian group: thus the vessels supplying the upper sepal, the Fig. xxxii. Upper or posterior sepal. Labellum. Section Of The Flower Of An Orchid. The little circles show the position of the spiral vessels S S. Stigmas; Sr, stigma modified into the rostellum. Ai. Fertile anther of the outer whorl; A 2 A3, anthers of the same whorl comhined with the lower petal, forming the labellum. ai 02. Kudimentary anthers of the inner whorl (fertile in Cypripedium), generally forming the clinandrum; 03, third anther of the same whorl, when present, forming the front of the column. fertile anther (A 1), and the upper pistil or stigma (i. e. rostellum S r), all unite and form the posterior ovarian group. Again, the vessels supplying one of the lower sepals, the corner of the labellum, and one of the two stigmas (S), unite and form the antero-lateral group; and so with all the other vessels. Hence, if the existence of groups of spiral vessels can be trusted, and Dr. Hooker informs me that he has never known them to speak falsely, the flower of an Orchid certainly consists of fifteen organs, in a much modified and confluent condition. "We see three stigmas, with the two lower ones generally confluent, and with the upper one modified into the rostellum. We see six stamens, arranged in two whorls, with one alone (A 1) generally fertile. In Cypripedium, however, two stamens of the inner whorl (a 1 and a 2) are fertile, and in other Orchids these two are represented in various ways more plainly than the remaining stamens. The third stamen of the inner whorl (o 3), when its vessels can be traced, forms the front of the column: Brown thought that it often formed a medial excrescence, or ridge, cohering to the labellum; or, in the case of G-lossodia, a filamentou...