AND ITS DIFFERENT KINDS. 99 



i284, they are perennial. — In the Orchide(C of Europe 

 thev are mostly biennial. The root in many of the 

 latter consists either of a pair of globular or oval bod- 

 ies, y^ 10, as in Satyrium hircinum, Engl. Bot. t. 54, 

 Ophrys aranifera, t. 65, and apifera, t. 383 ; or are 

 palmate, that is, shaped somewhat like the human 

 hand,/ 11, as in Orchis maculata, t. 632. Of these 

 globular or palmate knobs or bulbs one produces the 

 herb and flowers of the present year, withering away 

 towards autumn, and the other is reserved for the fol- 

 lowing season, while ui the mean time a third is pro- 

 duced to succeed the latter. The knobs of Ophrys 

 spiralis^ t. 541, are formed three or four years before 

 they flower, and their flowering appears to be occa- 

 sionally deferred to a more distant period. The root 

 of Satirium albidiim, t. 505, consists of three pairs of 

 tapering knobs or bulbs,/ 12, which flower in suc- 

 cession. On the contrary, Ophrys monorchism t 71, 

 forms its new bulb so late that it is not perfected till 

 the autumn immediately preceding its flowering, and 

 the plant seems to have but one bulb. Ophrys JVt- 

 dus avis, t. 48, has clusters of cylindrical knobs, 

 which are formed, and also wither away, in parcels, 

 each parcel being equivalent to one of the above-men- 

 tioned bulbs. 



Such of the Orchis tribe as have biennial bulbs are 

 supposed to be very difficult of cultivation ; but, ac- 

 cording to the experience of my excellent friend the 

 late Mr. Crowe, in whose garden I have seen them 

 many successive years, they are best removed when 

 \\\ full flower, the earth being cleared completely 



