ORCHIDACE^. 377 



Leaves few, radical, ovate, 3 — 6 inches long, i — ^ as wide. Scape 4 — G 

 inches high, acutely-angled, with a lanceolate, acute bract and 3 — 5 large, 

 showy flowers. Segments of the perianth purple, ovate-lanceolate. Lip and 

 spur white or whitish, each about 6 lines long. May, Jn. Showy Orchis. 



* *■ Lip narrow, entire. Cells of the anther widely separated at base by the broad, inter- 



posed stigma. Glands of the pedicels of the poUinia naked. Plataxthera. 



2. O. ORBICULA'TA. p. Platanthera. LimU. 

 Leaves 2, radical, suborbicular, rather fleshy ; scape bracteate ; upper sepals 



orbicular, lateral ones ovate ; lip linear-subspathulate, nearly twice as long as 

 the sepals; spur arcuate, compressed, clavate, twice as long as the ovary. A 

 remarkable plant, not uncommon in old woods and in tiiickets, N. 11., Vt., 

 tV^c. Leaves lying flat upon the ground, 3 — 6 inches in diameter, rather 

 inclining to oval or ovate with the apex acute. Scape 1 — 2 feet high, sheathed 

 with a few bracts, bearing a raceme of numerous, greenish white flowers. 

 Lip § — 1 inch long, ^ — 1 line wide. Spur 1^ — 2 inches long. July. 



3. 0. Hoo'keRI. Torr. Platanthera. Lindl. 

 Leaves 2, radical, suborbicular, fleshy ; scape naked ; upper sepal ovate, 



lateral ones lanceolate, reflexed ; lip lanceolate, acuminate, a little longer than 

 sepals; .s^^w/- subulate, arcuate, twice as long as the ovary. Woods. Very 

 nearly allied to the former species. Leaves more fleshy and frequently per- 

 fectly orbicular, 3 — 4 inches in diameter. Scape general!)' without a bract 

 and perfectly smooth, 10 — 15 inches high. Flowers numerous, in a close, 

 straigjit raceme, greenish white, more slender in all their p.uts. June. 



4. 0. HYPERBO'REA. L. O. dilatata & 1-Iuronensis. S/vcn§-. Platanthera. iHirf?. 



Stem leafy ; leaves very erect, acute ; spike somewhat secund ; bracts linear- 

 lanceolate, acute, longer tlian the flower ; sepals deflexed ; petals and lip 

 linear, obtuse, subequal, and about as long as the pendulous, obtuse spur. A 

 tall, leafy, variable species, found in mountainous woods and open meadows. 

 Stems thick, 2 or 3, or even 4 feet high. Leaves lanceolate, 4 — 7 inches long, 

 i — H inch wide. Flowers greenish in shades, nearly white in open situa- 

 tions, forming a long, more or less dense spike. Julj'. Giant Orchis. 



/3. leaves lanceolate and linear-lanceolate ; spikes long, cylindric ; bracts as 

 long as the flowers ; lip linear-lanceolate, obtuse. 



y. loicer leaves more dWdXcd. dipper ones grns%-Vike ; spike loose, slender; 

 lip ovate-lanceolate, the length of the incurved spur. 



5. 0. OBTUSA'TA. p. Habenaria. Rich. Platanthera. Lindl. 

 ie«/ solitary, oblong-obovate, obtuse; stem bearing the leaf near its base; 



spike loose ; upper sepal broadest : petals subtriangular ; lip linear, entire, 

 with 2 tubercles at base, as long as the arcuate, acute spur. Found in muddy 

 ponds and ditches. N. H. Stem slender, angular, G — 8 inches high, termi- 

 nating in a thin spike of about a dozen small, greenish white flowers. Leaf 

 tapering at base, and usually obtuse at the summit, 2 — 3 inches in length and 

 1 in breadth, issuing with the stem from 2 — 3 radical, sheathing bracts. Jl. 



* ♦ * Lip dilated, variously divided. Glands of the pedicels of the polliiiia naked, distinct. 



Habenaeia. t Lip toothed or 3-pained,not fimbriate. 



6. 0. FLAVA. L. O. herbiola. i?r. Habenaria. jRic/(. Platanthera. Zui<//. 

 Stem leafy ; lower leaves oblong, acute, upper lanceolate, acuminate ; spike 



rather dense, cylindric ; bracts longer than the flowers ; lip oblong, obtuse, 

 dentate at base ; palate with 1 tuberculate tooth ; spur filiform, rather shorter 

 than the sessile ovary. A small-flowered orchis found in alluvial soil. Stem 

 flexuous, 12 — 18 inches high. Leaves about 3, with long sheaths, 3 — (i or 7 

 inches long, J — 2 inches wide, tapering to aa acute summit. Flowers in a 

 GG* 



