A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Gynostemium, “(obsol.) the column of Orchids; that is to say, the part formed by the union of stamens, style, and stigma” (Lindley); “the compound structure resulting from the union of the stamens and pistil in the Orchidaceae” (Fernald 1950); the column of an Orchid, the combined androecium and gynoecium [> Gk. stEmOn,-onos, (s.m.III), the warp in the upright loom; a thread that has been spun, a filament]: gynostemium,-ii (s.n.II), abl.sg. gynostemio, nom. & acc. pl. gynostemia, dat. & abl. pl. gynostemiis; see column;

- gynostemium vix ultra lineam altum atro-purpureum, rostris nigricantibus (F. Mueller), the gynostemium scarcely more than a line (2.1 or 2.3 mm) tall, blackish-purple [dark purple], with the rostrum blackening.

- stamina ad normam rationalem 6, 2-seriata, sed abortu ad 3, 2, v. saepissime 1 reducta; 2 lateralia exteriora cum antico interiore omnino desunt, nisi pro staminodiis haberes appendices labelli; posticum seriei exterioris saepissime perfectum, et lateralia seriei interioris, quae saepissime (Cypripedieis exceptis) ad staminodia reducta nisi omnino abortiva, cum stylo connatum, gynostemium formant centrale v. sepalo postico magis approximatum, quod constat e columna tereti v. antice complanata sulcata 2-angulata v. 2-alata, cum clinandrìo postico et rostello antice terminalibus (B&H):

- the stamens on average 6, in two series, but, by abortion, reduced to three, two, or very often 1; the two lateral outer [stamens] with the inner antical one completely absent, except to consider the appendages of the labellum for staminodes; [the postical stamen] of the outer series very often perfect, and the lateral [stamens] of the inner series, which is most often (Cypripedieae excepted) reduced to staminodes unless completely abortive, connate with the style, they form a gynostemium central or more approximate to the postical sepal, which [gynostemium] consists of a terete column or is antically complanate, sulcate, 2-angled or 2-winged, with a terminal postical clinandrium and also an antical rostellum.