e explained on the supposition that the two lateral
lobes of the labellum in this flower were the representatives
of stamens.

In Fig. 193 is shown the arrangement of parts in a flower of
_Ophrys aranifera_. Here there were three sepals, two lateral
petals, one of which was adherent to the side of the column;
the central labellum was seemingly deficient, but there were
two pseudo-labella placed laterally in the position of the two
antero-lateral stamens of the outer series (A 2, A 3). Within
these was another perfect stamen occupying the position of the
anterior stamen of the inner series (_a_ 3). In another flower
of the same species, gathered at the same time (fig. 194),
there were three sepals not at all different from those of the
normal flower. The three petals next in succession were also,
in form and position, in their ordinary state. In colour,
however, the two upper lateral petals differed from what is
customary, in having the same purplish-brown tint which
characterises the lip. Within these petals, at the upper part
of the flower, there was the ordinary column, and at the
opposite side, alternating with the petals before mentioned,
two additional lip-like petals, one provided with a half-anther
containing a single perfectly formed pollen-mass (A 2, A 3). It
is, perhaps, worthy of notice that the arrangement of the
coloured spots on the true labellum, and that on the
adventitious lips, replacing the two lower of the outer
stamens, were not of a similar character. The supernumerary
lips had the [Greek: pi]-shaped marking which is so common in
this species, while the true lip was, as to its spots, much
more like _O. apifera_. Alternating with this last whorl were
three columns, all apparently perfectly formed and differing
only from the ordinary one in their smaller size and
corresponding to _a_ 1, _a_ 2, _a_ 3. The ovary in this flower
was two-celled, with four parietal placentas, thus giving an
appearance as though there had been a fusion of two or more
flowers associated with suppression and other changes. The
position of the supernumerary organs and the absence of any
positive sign of fusion in the bracts or other part of the
flower, seemed, however, to negative the idea of fusion.[451]

[Illustration: FIG. 193.--Diagr