198 



PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



cies was first described by Dr. Bigelow, under the name of Or- 

 chis grandiflora, and is a more splendid plant than the preceding ; 

 perhaps the largest of the Orchis tribe, and having the most showy- 

 flowers. Stem 2 feet high or more, thick, angular, hollow ; leaves 

 below oblong-oval, obtuse ; upper leaves lanceolate, acuminate ; 

 spike often 5 inches long, and 3 in diameter, many-flowered ; 

 flowers large, pale-purple, with the 3 petals fringed ; Lancaster, 

 Deerfield, &c. A variety (/?) of the preceding. Gray, ubi 

 supra. 



H. orbiculata. Round-leafed Orchis, is the Orchis orbiculata, 

 Ph., distinguished by its two radical, large, roundish, nerved 

 leaves ; woods ; July. Platanthera orbiculata. Lincl. 



H. dilatata, is the Orchis dilatata, Ph. A large, tall, leafy 

 plant, with unattractive flowers, in wet situations about the rivu- 

 lets of hills in Berkshire County, often 2-3 feet high, flowers 

 greenish-white ; July. Platanthera dilatata. Lind. 



H. bradeata. R. Br. Grows about a foot high, leafy, with 

 green flowers in a loose spike, spur obtuse and very short, bracts 

 spreading ; woods ; July. 



Interesting as the other species (H. blephari glottis, Hooker, 

 cristata, R. Brown, ciliaris, R. Brown, herbiola, R. Brown 

 (0. jiava^ L.), macrophylla^ Goldie. psycodes. H. incisa, 

 Sprengel, is H. psycodes) are to the botanist, they scarcely re- 

 quire full description in this place. 



Note. The roots of some species contain a large quantity of 

 farinaceous matter. The nutritious preparation, Salep, derived 

 from the Arabic name of Orchis, is made in Turkey from the 

 roots of these plants. It has been formed too in England from 

 the roots of 0. mascula and others, and might, probably, if need- 

 ed, be procured from the species of Orchis and Habenaria in this 

 country. The roots are washed white, dried, and ground to 

 powder, which is the white nutritious Salep. Loudon. 



