Abstract
ON the afternoon of June 2, 1878, I observed some new facts, which, I think, are of importance in elucidating the hitherto mysterious fertilisation of the Fly-Orchis. In sunny weather and under normal conditions the labellum secretes fluid, and a broad central longitudinal stripe of its surface is covered with small drops. Of fifty fresh flowers I found the labellum in thirteen covered with drops, in twenty-five shining with adhering moisture, in twelve without any conspicuous trace of fluid. The two small shining projections on each side of the base of the labellum (the sham-nectaries of Sprengel) were quite dry in all the flowers. In one flower I saw a fly (Sarco-phaga sp.) sitting on the labellum and licking the drops. Its head was directed towards the base of the labellum. On my approaching it flew away before having reached the sham-nectaries, and the flower visited by it was found without pollen on the stigmas, and with both pollinia in their cells. Nevertheless, it is most probable that this fly, if not disturbed by my approach, would have stepped forward on the labellum, and, trying one of the sham-nectaries, would have removed one of the pollinia and perhaps transferred to the stigma of another stem, in the manner described by Charles Darwin (“Fertilisation of Orchids,” p. 47).
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MÜLLER, H. Ophrys muscifera. Nature 18, 221 (1878). https://doi.org/10.1038/018221a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/018221a0
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