Darwin Orchids PDF
Darwin Orchids PDF
Darwin Orchids PDF
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VAEIOUS CONTRIYANCES
BY AVHICH.
—
Geay, Asa. On Platanthera (ffahenaria) and Oymnadenia in
'
Enumeration of Plants of the Eocky Mountains.' American —
Journal of Science and Arts, Second Series, vol. xxxiv., No.
101, Sept. 1862, p. 33.
Andersok, J. —
Fertilisation of Orchids.'
' —
Journal of Horticulture
and Cottage Gardener, April 21, 1863, p. 287.
—
GossE, P. H. * Microscopic Observation on some Seeds of Orchids.'
— Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener, April 21,
1863, p. 287.
—
ScuDDER, J. H. On Pogonia ophioglossoides. Proceedings of the
Boston Society of Natural History, vol. ix. April, 1863.
CbUger. —
' A
few Notes on the Fecundation of Orchids, and their
—
Morphology.' Journal of Linnean Societj^, Botany, vol. viii.
No. 31, 1864, p. 127.
MoGGRiDGE, J. TiiAHERNE.
—
Obsn'vatlons On some Orchids of th3
'
—
South of France.' Journal of Linnean Society, Botany, vol.
viii. No.32, 1865, p. 256.
—
TloHRBACH, P. 'Ueber Epijpogium gmelinV — Gekronte Preisschrift,
Gottingen, 1866.
Weale, Mansel.
J. P.
—
Notes on the Structure and Fertilisation
'
MtJLLEB, Fritz. —
Ueber Befruclitungserscbeinungen bei OrcLi-
'
Hermann. — Beobachtungen an
MiJLLER, * westfalisben Orcbideen.*
—Verbandlungen des Vereins nat. fiir Pr. Eheinl. u. Westf.
1868 and 1869.
MiJLLER, Fritz. —
' Ueber einige Befrucbtungserscheinungen.'
Botaniscbe Zeitung, No. 14, 1869, p, 224.
MtJLLER, Hermann. —
Die Befrucbtung der Blumen durch Insekten,'
'
Lubbock, Sir J.
— ' British Wild Flowers.' London, 1875, pp. 162-
175.
(CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE I.
OPHREiE.
CHAPTEE 11.
OPHKE^ continued.
45-79
XU CONTENTS.
CHAPTEK IIL
ARETHtrSEiE.
CHAPTEE IV.
CHAPTEE V.
CHAPTEE VI.
VA-N'DE^.
Pages 149-177
CHAPTEE VII.
VANDE^ continued. — catasetid^e.
Catasetidae, the most remarkable of all Orchids — The mechanisir,
by which the pollinia of Catasetum are ejected to a distance ana
are transported by insects — Sensitiveness of the horns of the
rostellum — Extraordinary difference in the male, female, and
hermaphrodite forms of Catasetum tridentatum — Monnodes
ignea, curious structure of the flowers ; ejection of the pollinia
— Mormodes luxata — Cycnoches ventricosum, manner of fer-
tilisation 178-225
CHAPTEE VIII.
CTPKIPEDE^ —HOMOLOGIES OF THE FLOWERS OF ORCHIDS.
CHAPTER IX.
GBADATION OF OBGAN'S, &C. —CONCLUDING REMARKS.
Index 294
LIST OF WOODCUTS.
TAGE
1. Orchis mascula 8
2. „ „ pollinia of 12
3. Orchis pyramidalis 18
4. Moth's head and proboscis, with attached pollixia 31
6. Ophrys muscifera 46
6. „ aranifera 50
7. „ arachnites 51
8. „ aplfera 53
9. PeRISTYLUS VIRIDI3 62
10. Gymnadenia conopsea 65
11. Habenaria chlorantha 69
12. POLLINIA of habenaria CHLORANTHA AND BIFOLIA .. 74
13. CePHAL anther A GRANDIFLORA 81
14. Pterostylis longifolia 87
15. Epipactis palustris 94
16. „ latifolia 101
17. Spiranthes autumnalis 107
18. LiSTERA OVATA 116
19. Malaxis paludosa 130
20. Masdevallia fenestrata 136
21. Dendrobium chrysanthum 139
22. Cattleya 144
23. Diagram illustrative of the structure of the
Vande^ 150
24. PoLLiNiA OF Vande^ 154
25. PoLLiNiUM OF Oknithocephalus 160
XVI LIST OF WOODCUTS.
PAoa
26. Calanthe masuca 161
27. cobtanthes speciosa 174
28.) 1 182
^CaTASETUM SACCATUM <
P. S. —
I am much indebte(1 to Mr. G. B. Sowerby for the pains
which he has taken in making the Diagrams as intelligible as
possible.
ON THE
FERTILISATION OF ORCHIDS
BY
INSECTS,
&c. &c.
INTEODUCTION.
The object of the following work is to show that the
contrivances by which Orchids are fertilised, are as
varied and almost as perfect as any of the most beauti-
ful adaptations in the animal kingdom ; and, secondly,
to show that these contrivances have for their main
object the fertilisation of the flowers with pollen
brought by insects from a distinct plant. In mv
volume On the Origin of Species I gave only general
'
'
* Delpino has found (' Ult. Os- In this memoir Waetcher, who
servazioni suUa Dicoi^amia,' Part docs not seem to havv been ac-
ii. 1875, p. 150) amemoir hy Wiict- qnidntcd with Sprfniijel's work,
cher, published in 1801 in Roo- shows tiiat insects aie necessary
mcr's Archiv fiir die Botanik,' t.
'
for the fertilisation of various
ii. which apparently has re-
p. 11, orchids, and describes well the
mained unknown to everyone else. wonderful structure of Neottia.
INTRODUCTION. 3
EXPLANATION OF TERMS.
'
Linnean Transactions,' 1833, vol. xvi. p. 704.
ij 2
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTEE I.
OPHRE^.
—
Structure of the flower of Orchis mascula Power of movement of the
—
poUinia Perfect adaptation of the parts in Orchis pyramidalis
Other spt'Cies of Orchis and of someclosely allied genera On the —
insects which visit the several species, and on the frequency of their
visits — On the fertilityand sterility of various Orchids — On the
secretion of nectar, and on insects being purposely delayed in
obtaining it.
D. H. HILL LIBRARY
North Carolina Slate College
Chap. I. ORCHIS MASCULA. 7
pollen-mass or poUinium.
A pollinium removed out of one of the two anther-
cells is represented by fig. C it consists of a number
;
Fig. 1.
Orchis mascula.
Chap. I. ORCHIS MASCULA.
Description of Fia 1.
A. Side view of flower, with all the petals and sepals cut otF except the
labellum, of which the near half is cut away, as well as the upper
portion of the near side of the nectary.
B. Front view of flower, with all sepals and petals removed, except the-
labellum.
C. One pollinium, showing the packets of pollen-grains, the caudicle, and
viscid disc.
D. Front view of the caudicles of both pollinia with the discs lying within
the rostellum, its lip being depressed.
E. Section through one side of the rostellum, with the included disc and
caudicle of one pollinium, lip not depressed.
F. Packets of pollen-grains, tied together by elastic threads, here extended,
(Copied from Bauer.)
10 OPHKEiE. Chap, I.
* '
Die Befruchtung,' &c., p. 84.
16 OPHRE^. t-"AP. I.
\
18 OPHRE^. CUAI'. I.
Fig. 3.
Orchis pvramidalis.
iJHAP. L OBCHIS P¥B AMID AXIS. 19
Descriptiok of Fig. 3.
a. anther, I. labellum.
s, s. stigma. I', guiding plate on the labellum.
r. rostellum. n, nectary.
A. Front view, with all the sepals and petals removed, except the
labellum.
B. Side view, with all the sepals and petals removed, with the labellum
longitudinally bisected, and with the near side of the upper part
of the nectary cut away.
C. The two pollinia attached to the saddle-shaped viscid disc.
D. The disc after the first act of contraction, with no object seized.
E. The disc seen from above, and flattened by force, with one pollinium
removed ; showing a depression in its surface, by which the second
movement of the pollinium is effected.
o2
20 OPHRE^. Chap. 1.
* Tin; late Pnif. Treviramis lias but points out two unimportant
confirmed (' Botaiiisclie Zeitung,' inaccuracies in the drawing which
1863, p. 241) all my observations, I have given.
CuAP. I. OKCHIS USTULATA. 25
* '
Nature,' Dec. 31, 1874, p. 169.
28 OPHEEiE. Chap. I.
* An
abstract of their observa- ticalion,' chap. xvii. 2nd edit. vol.
vol. ii. p. 182, and vol. iii. p. 3, however, and drying it, the green
Oct. 3, 1857. The pollinia were tint returned.
32 OPHKEiE. Uhap. L
removed.
The list which follows serves to show that insects in
most cases perform the work of fertilisation effectually.
But the list by no means gives a fair idea how effectu-
ally it is done for I have often found nearly all the
;
^ 3 £t3
i It
1=1 s.a
<« o . i
° t-'S o
t ° > t^
I
3 O 1
Orchis morio.
Kent
Orchis morio.
.....
Three small plants
Thirty-eight plants.
":};
N.''
22
buds .......
number were young flowers under the
was a very wet one, I gatlieicd six only 110 llowcrs prodiieed caj)-
. unusually fine siiikes of 0. pyrn- suks, 183 liaviiij-; fadid to do so.
midalis. Tliesc bore 8U2 ilowers, S^x siiikes of (>. i)utri(hitt( bore 187
excluding; fourteeu which were still llowcrs, of wliich eiuclity-two pro-
fuily expanded and enpable of be- duced caiisulis, 105 havin;j; failed.
CiiAr. I. FERTILISED BY INSECTS. 35
* Knrr (' Bedeutinig der Neft- the corolla, leaving the nectnrj', of
tarien,' 1833, p. I'iS)' cut oft' the forty flowers of Orchig morio, nnd
nectaries of fifteen flowera of these set no capsules; and this
GijmiuKlemn eonopsea. and they case shows that insects are guided
did not produce a singh; capsule : to the flowers by tlie corolla,
he also treated in the saime man- Sixteen flowers of riatauthcni
iier fifteen flowers of I'latnntliera treated in the same manner boro
or Hahenaria hifolia, suul these only one capsule. Similar cxperi-
set only five capsules but then it
; inents made by him on Ciymna*
should be ob.ierved that the nee- denia seem to me open to doubt,
tariis of both, these ordiids con- f Handbook of the British
'
f
that, after cutting off the extremities of the nectaries
of 0. pyramidalis, and gently squeezing them on glass
under the microscope, such large drops of fluid exuded
from the cut ends, that I concluded that at last I had
found nectaries which contained nectar; but when I care-
fully made, without any pressure, a slit along the upper
surface of other nectaries from the same plants, and
looked into them, their inner surfaces were quite dry.
examined the nectaries of Gymnadenia conopsea
I then
(a plant ranked by some botanists as a true Orchis)
and of Ilahenana hifolia, which are always full of nectar
up to one-third or two-thirds of their length. The
inner membrane presented the same structure and was
covered with papilla? as in the foregoing species but ;
CHAPTER 11.
OPHRE^ continued.
—
Fly and Spider Ophrys Bee Ophrys, apparently adapted for perpetual
self-fertilisation, but with paradoxical contrivances for intercrossing
— Herniinium monorcliis, attachment of the poUinia to the front legs
—Peristylus
of insects indirectly effected by nectar
viridis, fertilisation
secreted from three parts of thelabellum— Gymnadenia conopsea,
and other species — Habenaria or Platanthera chlorantha and
bifolia,their pollinia attached the eyes of Lepidoptera — Other
1o
species of Habenaria — Bonatea — Uisa — Summary on the powers ot
movement in the pollinia.
Fig. 5.
Total
€riAP. II OPHRTS MUSCIFERA. 49
* '
Fecondazione nelle Piantc Antocarpc,' 1SG7, p. 20.
E 2
52 ophre.t:. Chaf. ii
Fio;. 8.
said, that the plant received its name merely from the
hairy labellum being somewhat like the abdomen of a
liumble-bee. We see how fanciful many of the names-
are, — one species being called the Lizard and another
the Frog Orchis. The resemblance of 0. muscifera to
a fly is very much closer than that of 0. apifera to a
bee ; and yet the fertilisation of the former absolutely
depends on and is effected by the means of insects.
All the foregoing observations relate to England,.
l)ut Mr. IMoggridge made similar ones on the Bee-
• '
The Effects of Cross and Self-Fertilisation in the Vc.£:etable
Kingdom,' 187(>.
58 OPimEJS. CuAr. n.
s. stigma, I. labellum.
n. orifice of central nectary.
Peristtjius viridis. —
This plant, which bears the odd
name of the Frog Orchis, has been placed by many
botanists in the genus Habenaria or Platanthera ; but
as the discs are not naked, it is doubtful whether this
Chap, II. PEKISTYLUS VIKIDIS. 63
Fig. 10.
Gymnadeota conopsea.
• ' Nature,' Dec. 31, 1874, p. nolo p. 200 ; and vol. xxxvi. 1863.
169. p. 29:5.In the latter paper lie
t 'American Journal of Science,* adds some remarks on G.flavi and
vol. XXXV. 1862, p. 426, and foot- nivea.
Chap. II. HABENARIA CHLORANTHA. G9
fig. A), above and some way on each side of the stig-
* '
Joiirn. Liun. Soo. Bot.' vol. t ' Joum. Linn. Soc. Cot. vol
X. p. 470. vii. 1863. p. Itl.
78 OPHREiE. Chap. II.
We
have now finished with the Ophreoe but before ;
* '
Journ. Lirj. Soc, Bot.' vol. + '
Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot.' vol.
xiii. 1871, p. 45, xiil. 1871, p. 42.
Chap, II. OPPREiE. 79
CHAPTER III.
ARETHUSE^.
Cephalanthera grandiflora. —
This Orchid is remark-
able from not possessing a rostellum, which is so
eminently characteristic of the order. The stigma is
large, and the anther stands above it. The pollen
is extremely friable and readily adheres to any object.
The grains are tied together by a few weak elastic
threads but they are not cemented together, so as to
;
Cephalantiiera grandiflora.
* Bauer l;p;urcs the flowers say is that I have not seen tliem
Fie;. 14.
Orchids.')
A. Flower in its natural state : th« column with its two shields,
outline of the column is dimly and the labellum in the position
seen within. which it occupies after having
B. Flower with the near lateral been touched.
petal removed, showing the
coming into contact with them, its body will have been
smeared with the viscid matter of the rostellum. On
being imprisoned in another flower, and on again escap-
ing by the same passage, it will almost certainly leave
at least one of the four pollen-masses on the adhesive
stigma, and thus fertilise the flower.
All that I have here said is taken from the admir-
able description given by Mr. Cheeseman * of Pterostylis
• ' TrnnsKt New Zealand Institute,' vol. v. 1873, p. 352 ; and vol.
vu". p. 351.
Chap. Ill, PTEKOSTYLIS LONGIFOLIA. 8^
CHAPTER IV.
NEOTTE^.
—
in Listera Thelymitra, self-fertile.
Epipactis palustris.
a. anthrr, with the two open cells enlarged, with all the sepals
seen in the front view D. and petals removed, excepting
a', rudimentary anther, or auricle, the labelium, of which the
referred to in a future chapter. near side has been cut away
r. rostellum. the massive anther is seen to
s. stigma. be of large size.
Fi2. 16.
EpIPACTIS LATIFOLIA.
Flower viewed sideways, with allthe sepals and petals removed, except the
labellum.
a. anther. I s. stigma.
r. rostellum. I /. labellum.
* '
Verhandl. d. Nat. Ver. f. Westfal.' Jahrg. xxv. III. Folge, v. Bd,
pp. 7-36.
Chap. IV. GOODYEKA REPENS. 103
* '
Ueber den Bluthenbau von t Specimens of this rare High-
Epipogium,' &c. 1866; see also land Orchid were kindly sent me
Irmiseh, 'Beitrage zur Biologic by the Rev. G. Gordon of Elgin,
der Orchideen,' 1853, p. 55.
104 NEOTTE^. CuAP. ly.
the disc, but at the point where the pollinia are at-
tached they disappear. Therefore I at one time con-
cluded that the viscid matter contained in these cells,
when they burst, serve to fasten the threads of the
pollinia to the disc ; but, as in several other genera,
in which a similar attachment has to be effected, I
could see no trace of such cells, this view may be
erroneous.
The stigma lies beneath the rostellum, and projects
with a sloping surface, as may be seen at B in the
side-view its lower margin is rounded and fringed
:
* '
Australian Orchids,' part ii. t ' Philosophical Transactions,
1876. 1854, p. 259.
I 2
116 NEOTTE^. Chat. IV,
Fis. 18.
* '
Variation of Animala and Plants under Domestication,' 2nd edit.
vol. ii. p. 309.
128 MALAXED. CuAP. V
CHAPTEE V.
MALAXED.
Malaxis paludosa. — This rare orchid * is the sole
representative of the tribe in this country, and it is
sion has given me his invaluable Horwood, for his aid in some of
advice, and has never become my observations.
weary of sending me specimens Professor Oliver has kindly
from the Eoyal Gardens at Kew. assisted me with his large stores
Mr. James Veitch, jun., has of knowledge, and has called my
generously given me many beau- attention to several papers. Lastly,
tiful Orchids, some of whieh were Dr. Lindley has sent me fresli
of especial service. Mr. R. Parker and dried specimens, and has in
also sent me an extremely valu- the kindest manner helped me in
able series of forms. Lady Dorothy various ways.
Nevill most kindly placed her To these gentlemen I can only
magnificent collection of Orchids express my cordial thanks for
at mydisposal. Mr. Kucker of their unwearied and generous
West Hill, Wandsworth, sent me kindness.
repeatedly large spikes of Catase- * I am greatly indebted to IMr.
tura,aMormodes of extreme value Wallis, of Hartfield, in Sussex,
and some Dendrobiums. Mr. for numerous living specimens of
Rodgers of Sevenoaks has given this Orchid.
me interesting information. Mr. t Sir James Smith, I believe,
Bateman, so well known for his first noticed this fact in the
magnificent work on Orchids, ' English Flora,' vol. iv. p. 47,
sent me a number of interesting 1S28. Towartls the summit of
forms, including the wonderful the spike the lower sepal does not
Angrifcum sesquipedale. I am depend, as represented in the
greatly indebted to Mr. TurnbuU woodcut ftig. 11), A), but projects
of Down for allowing me the free nearly at right angles. Nor are
use of his hothouses, and for the flowers always so completely
giving me some interesting Or- twisted round as here represented.
chids and to his gardener, IMr.
;
Fijr. 19.
I\Ialaxis palcdosa.
here these two petals and all the sepals are reflexed
(as may be seen in the drawing, fig. A), apparently to
allow insects freely to visit the flower. The position
of the labellum is the more remarkable, because it
nectary.
fl,
i-i
lnm
-i
proiccts
which can easily be upturned.
^. ,
at
-^
right
i
. .
,i
aUglcS,
Fig. 21.
Dendrobium ciirvsantiium.
a. anther. stigma.
s. B. Outline of column, viewed later-
r. rostellum. I.labellum. ally, after the anther has ejected
n. nectary. the pollinia.
A. Lateral view of flower, with the C. Front view of column, showing
anther in its proper position, the empty cells of the anther,
before the ejection of the pol- after it has ejected its pollinia.
linia. All the sepals and petals The anther is represented hang-
are removed except the label- ing too low down, and covering
lum, which is longitudinally moi-e of the stigma than it
honey.
As an insect forces its way into one of these flowers,
the labellum, which is elastic, will yield, and the
projecting lip of the anther will protect the rostellum
from being disturbed ; but as soon as the insect
retreats, the lip of the anther will be lifted up, and
the viscid matter from the rostellum forced into the
anther, gluing the pollen-mass to the insect, which
will thus be transported to another flower. I easily
imitated this action but as the pollen-masses have
;
adheres.
Under nature, however, the action cannot be as thus
described, for the labellum hangs downwards ; and to
understand what follows, the drawing should be placed
in an almost reversed position. If an insect failed to
remove the poUinium by means of the viscid matter
from the rostellum, the poUinium would first be jerked
downwards on to the protuberant surface of the label-
lum, placed immediately beneath the stigma. But it
must be remembered that the labellum is elastic, and
that at the same instant that the insect, in the act of
leaving the flower, lifts up the lip of the anther, and
S3 causes the poUinium to be shot out, the labellum
will rebound back, and striking the poUinium will
pitch it upwards, so as to hit the adhesive stigma.
Twice I succeeded in effecting this by imitating the
retreat of an insect, with the flower held in its natural
position and on opening it, found the poUinium
;
EPIDENDRE^.
'
Journal of Horticulture,' 1863, pp. 206, 287.
Chap. V. CATTLEYA. 143
Fig. 22
Catti,i:ya.
* '
Joiini. Linn. Sac. Bot.' vol. paper Mr. Gosse gives an nccount
viii. 18G4, p. 131. cf hia microscnpical examinatiou
t 'Journal of Horticulture.' of the self-fertilised seeds.
18C3,p.206and287: in the latter
148 EPIDENDRE^. Chat. V,
CHAPTER VI.
VANDE.E.
of
]>e;licel
rostellum.
viscid disc.
stijrma.
(1.) The filament, bearing the an- (2.) The upper pistil, with the
ther with its pollen-masses ;
upper part modified into the
the anther is represented after rostellum.
it has opened along its whole (3.) The two lower confluent pistils,
under surface, so that the bearing the two confluent
section shows only the dorsal sticrmas.
surface.
Fio;. 24.
POLLINIA OF VaNDE^E.
* I may
here remark that Del- dium, Epidendrum, Phaius, and
pino Fecondazioue nelle Piaiite,'
(' Dendrobium, and isable tc con-
he has
Fiieiize, 1867, p. 19) says firm in geneial my statements.
examined flowers of Vaiida, Onci-
156 VANDE^. Chap, VI.
Fis. 2;:
Ficr. 26.
A C
Calaxthe masuca.
M 2
164 VANDEiE. CuAr. VI.
* Mr. Belt suggests (' The Na- ment can thus be accounted for.
turalist in Nicaragua,' 1874, p. I have no doubt of the truth of
133) that tbe great length of the tliis principle, but it is hardly
nectary of this plant serves to applicable here, as the moth has
prevent other moths which are to be cimipelled to drive its pro-
not well-adapted for the fertilisa- boscis as deeply down as possible
tion of the tiowers from sucking into the flower,
the nectar, and that its develop-
166 VANDE.E. Chap. \'l.
* '
Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot.' vol. translation of the first edition of
viii. 1864,130.p. Bronn has this Wfirk.
described the structure of Stan- f 'Bot. Zeitung,' 1868, p. GoO.
Tiopea devoniensis, in hid German
172 VANDE^. Chap. VI.
'
Bot. Zcitung,' 1863, Oct. 30, et scq., and Aug. 4, 1SG5.
Chap. TI. COEYANTHES. 1 73
Fig. 27.
CHAPTER VII.
if they did enter it, the viscid surface of the disc could
not possibly come into contact with them.
Chap. VII. CATASETUM. 179
Fis. 28
CaTASETUM SACCATL'Jl.
Chap. VII- CATASETUM SACCATUM. 183
Fig. 29.
CaTASETUM SACCATUM.
* '
Bull, de la Soc. Bot. de France,' torn. i. 1854, p. 367.
1S8 VANDE^. Chap. VIL
87' F. (30'5° C.) did not explode, though they were after-
wards proved to be sensitive to a slight touch. Lastly,
four flowers were placed in water at 83' F. (28'3' C.) ;
* A fine spike of flowers of this Mr. Eucker, and was named fa'
si)f>cies was kindly sunt lue by me by Dr. Lindley.
Chap. VII. GATASETUM TEIDENTATUM. 193
Fis. 30.
Catasetcm tridentatum.
Fig. 31.
200 VANDEJi. Chap. YIl.
that " the anther of the female flower drops off imme-
diately after the opening of the same, i. e. before the
flower has reached perfection as regards colour, size,
and smell. The disc does not cohere, or very slightly,
to the pollen-masses, but drops off about the same
time, with the anther ;" leaving behind them the rudi-
mentary pollen-masses.
Instead of a large stigmatic chamber, there is a
narrow transverse cleft close beneath the small anther.
I was able to insert one of the pollen-masses of the
male Catasetum into this cleft, which from having been
kept in spirits was lined with coagulated beads of
viscid matter, and with utriculi. The utriculi, diifer-
ently from those in Catasetum, were charged (after
having been kept in spirits) with brown matter. The
ovarium is longer, thicker near the base, and more
plainly furrowed than in Catasetum the ovule-bearino-
;
cords are also much longer, and the ovules more opaque
and pulpy, as in all common Orchids. I believe that
I saw the opening at the partially inverted end of the
testa,with a large projecting nucleus but as the speci- ;
—
brown elastic tissue, that is, a vestige of a caudicle,
which runs far up the pointed end of the flask, but
does not (at least in some of the specimens) come to
the surface, and could never be attached to any part of
the pedicel. These rudimentary and enclosed caudieles
are, therefore, utterly useless. Notwithstanding the
small size and almost aborted condition of the female
pollen-masses, when they were placed by Dr. Criiger
within the stigma of a female plant they emitted " here
and there a rudimentary tube." The petals then faded
and the ovarium enlarged, but after a week it turned
yellow and finally dropped off without bringing any
seeds to perfection. This appears to me a very curious
instance of the slow and gradual manner in which
structures are modified ; for the female pollen-masses,
which can never be naturally removed or applied to
the stigma, still partially retain their former powers
and function.
Thus every detail of structure which characterises
the male pollen-masses is represented in the female
plant in a useless condition. Such cases are familiar to
Fi-.
JIOUMODES IGNEA.
Lateral view of flower, with the upper sepal and the near upper petal
cut off'.
N.B. The labellum in the drawi-ng is a little lifted up, to show the de-
pression on its under surface, which ought to be pressed close down
on the bent summit of the column.
a. anther. I. labellum.
jd. pedicel of pollinium. /. s. lateral sepal.
s. stigma.
r
210 VANI>E^ Chap. YII.
r 2
212 VANDE.E. Chap. VIL
Ficr. 33.
Cycxociiks vkxtkicosum.
Fisr. 34.
CHAPTER VIII.
—
Cypripedium differs much from all other Orchids Labellum in the
form of a slipper with two small orifices by which insects can escape
— Manner of fertilisation by small bees of the genus Andreua
Homological nature of the several parts of the flowers of the Orchidese
— Wonderful amount of modification which they have undergone.
Fig. 35.
Cypripediuji.
* See also ' American Journal of Science,' vol. xxxiv. 1862, p. 427,
Chap. VIII. CYPEIPEDIUM. 231
* '
Fecondazione nelle Piante xxv. III. Folge, v, Bd. p. 1 : see
Antocarpee,' 1867, p. 20. also 'Befruchtung der Blumen,
t 'Verb. d. Nat. Ver. fiir Pr. 1873, p. 76.
Rheinland und Westfal' Jahrg.
232 HOMOLOGIES OP THE Chap. VIU.
* Professor Asa Gray has do- the union of one petal with twc
scribed in the ' American Journal petaloid stamens,
of Science.' July 1866, a monstrous t ' Linn. Transact.' vol. xvi. p.
flower of Cypripedium candidum, 096-701. Link in his ' Bemer-
and remarks on it, " here we have kungen iiber der Ban der Orchi-
(and perhaps the first direct) deen'('BotanischeZeitung,' 1849
demonstration that the orchideous p. 745) seems to have also trusted
type of flower has two staiuiual to transverse sections. Had he
verticils, as Brown always in- traced the vessels upwards I can-
eisted." Dr. Criiger also advances not believe that he would have
evidence ( Journ. Linn. Soc.
' disputed Brown's view of the
Bot.' vol. viii. 1864, p. 132) in nature of the two anthers Id
favour of the presence of five Cypripedium. Brongniart in his
whorld of organs but he denies
; admirable paper (' Annales dea
that the homologies of the parts Sciences Nat.' tom. xxiv. 1831)
can be deduced from the course of incidentally shows the course of
the vessels, and he does not admit some of the spiral vessels,
that the labellum is fonned by
236 HOMOLOGIES OF THE Chap. VIII.
Upper Upper
petal. petal.
Lower
sepal.
Labellum.
*
* Link remarks on the manner the column in his " Bemerkungen
of coherence of the labellum to in ' Bot. Zeitung,' 1849, p. 745.
Chap. VIII. FLOWERS OF ORCHIDS. 239
reflected back ; the vessels at the whether the vessels supplying the
pohit of reflexion are curiously sides of the upper sepal do not, as
hardened, flattened, and produced in the allied Habenaria, wander
into odd crests and points. In from their proper course and enter
an Oncidium I traced the vessels the postero-lateral ovarian group :
Sr to the viscid gland of the polli- the vessel Sr, going to the rostel-
nium. Among the Epidendrese I lum, enters the little folded crest
traced all the vessels in a Cattleya of membrane, which projects be-
and all in Evehjna carivata except tween the bases of the anther-cells.
aj, which I did not search for. In Lastly, in Habenaria chlorantha I
the Malaxese I traced allinLiparis traced all the vessels, excepting
pendula except 03, which I do not as in the other Ophrea; the three
believe is present. In Malaxis of the inner staminal whorl, and I
paludosa I traced nearly all the looked carefully for a^ : the vessel
240 HOMOLOGIES OF THE Chap. VIIL
—
form diverse functions often of trifling imjjortance
—
compared with their proper function converted other
organs into mere purposeless rudiments, and arranged
all as if they had to stand separate, and then made
them cohere ? Is it not a more simple and intelligible
view that all the Orchideaj owe what they have in
common, to descent from some monocotyledonous
plant, which, like so many other plants of the same
class, possessed fifteen organs, arranged alternately
three within three in five whorls and that the now
;
CHAPTEE IX.
—
Gradation of organs, of the rostellum, of the pollen-masses Formation
— —
of the caudicle Genealogical affinities Secretion of nectar
—
Mechanism of the movement of the pollinia Uses of the petals
—
Production of seed Importance of trifling details of structure
Cause of the great diversity of structure in the flowers of Orchids
— —
Cause of the perfection of the contrivances Summary on inseot-
—
agency Nature abhors perpetual self-fertilisation.
—
we have the following series, in Orchis pjramidalis a
single disc enclosed in a single pouch —
in Aceras two
Chap. IX. GRADATION OF ORGANS. 255
ROSTELLU^SI OF CATASETini.
the above thick fluid, yet the of thise auricles a distinct caudicle
pollen-grains are thus united. In which necessarily had no disc at
(^
SECKETION OF NECTAR.
is quite unknown.
» '
Jcmrn. Linn. S(jc. Bot.' 18G4, vol. viii. p. 129.
€hap. IX. MOVEJIENTS OF THE TOLLINIA. 271
* Tliis fact does not now appear avra of Stipa twists ami untwists
to me
so suiprising as it formerly when exposed to dry and daiup air.
did, for my son Francis has shown Tliese movements being due, as
'
Transact. Linn, boc' 2ud series,
' he has shown, to the twisting and
But. vol. i. 1S76, p. 14:9) with untwisting of the separate cells,
what extraordinary quickness the
T
274 CONCLUDING KE:\IARKS. Chap. IX.
T 2
CONCLUDING REMARKS. Chap. IX.
27fi
half-a-dozen such
capsules. I may add that by
counting the packets of pollen (one of which was broken
up under the microscope) I estimated that the number
of pollen-grains, each of which emits its tube, in a
single anther of Orchis mascida was 122,400. Amici*
estimated the number in 0. morio at 120,300. As
these two species apparently do not produce more
seed than the allied 0. maculata, a capsule of which
contained 6200 seeds, we see that there are about
twenty pollen-grains for each ovule. According to
this standard, the number in the
of pollen-grains
anther of a single flower of the Maxillaria Avhich
yielded 1,756,440 seeds must be prodigious.
What checks the unlimited multiplication of the
Orchidcre throughout the world is not known. The
minute seeds within their light coats are well fitted
for wide dissemination and I have several times
;
* JIolil, '
The Vegetable Cell,' f Mr. Bree, in ' Loudon's Mng
traushited by Henfiey, p. 133. of Nat. Hist,' vol. ii. 1S29, p. 70.
€nAP. IX. CONCLUDING REMARKS. 279
* •
The Effects of Cross and Self-fertilisation in the Vij^ctallo
Kingdom,' 1S76.
282 CONCLUDING REMARKS. Ch.u-. IX.
Orchideje, —
considering how large an amount is
necessary for the impregnation of the almost innumer-
able seeds produced by these plants, —
considering that
the anther stands close behind or above the stigma,
self-fertilisation would have been an incomparably
safer and easier process than the transportal of pollen
from flower to flower. Unless we bear in mind the
good efi'ects which have been proved to follow in most
cases from cross-fertilisation, it is an astonishing fact
that the flowers of the Orchideae should not have been
regularly self-fertilised. It apparently demonstrates
that there must be something injurious in this latter
process, of which have elsewhere given direct
fact I
proof. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that Nature
tells us, in the most emphatic manner, that slie abhors
perpetual self-fertilisation.
( 294 )
INDEX.
Aceras anthropophora, 26 ;
pollen- Battersby, Dr., obligations to, 106
tubes, 258 Bauer, Mr., on pollen-grains in
longibracteata, 26 Cejihalanthera, SO, 82 on pollen- ;
liateman, Mr., obligations to, 105, Orcliids, 234, 235, 237 rostellum ;
Acianthus fornicatiu,
—— speciosum, partiallj' sterile, 281
;
conopsea, 272
Galeandra funldi, 155
Disperis, secietiou of nectar, 265
Gartner on viscid matter of stigma,
Duehartre, M., on Catusetam and
249; pollen-grains in Orchids,
Myajithus, 196
288
Dyer, Mr. Thiselton, obligations to,
Gerard, M. IM., polliuia adhering to
175
longicorn beetle, 16
Glossodia, 237
Epidendrex, 142 few seed capsules
;
Gongora, labellum of, 276
produced, 281 utro-jmrpurea, 169
Epidendruni cocMeatum, viscid se- maculiita, 168
cretion of, 249 tntnc'ita, 169
floribundum, 146 viscid se- ;
Goodyera, vessels of, 239 caudicle ;
•
viridifiora, 1U2 ; self-fertile, pediiim, 229, 23u, 235
291 Gymnadenia, viscid matter, 251
Epipogium gmelini, 103 •
albida, 43, 68
Euhphia viridis, 156 ; nectary of, conopsea, transplanted, 32 se- ;
odoratissima, 68
Farrer, T. H., obligations to, 46 tridentata, 68 self-fertile, 291;
viridis, 63
Fertilisation, summary on, 290 Habenaria bifolia, 78; secretion of
Feitility of English Orchids, 33 nectar, 40, 43; viscid matter, 251
BABENARIA. INDEX. 297
IG Nigritella
; angustifoUa, 27 hircma, 25 nectary, 39 ; ; move-
fertilisatiim of Oichids, 29; in- ment of pollinia, 273
eects puncturing laburnum flow- latifolia, 15 ; imperfect fer-
ers, 41 Gymnadenia odoratis-
; tilisation, 35
secretion of nectar,
;
Parker, Mr. K., obligations to, V29 of structure, 250; crest of, in
Pedicel of pollinium, 253 elasticity ; the Ophrex, 255 in Catasetum,
;
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