orchidace;e. 374 



Aiith. — ^2, 4 or S-celled, persistent or deciduous, often operculate. 



Pol. — Kither powder)-, or cohering in waxy masses (poW/ira), which are either constantly 



adhering to a gland, or becoming loose in their cells. 

 Ova. — l-ccUed, withJJ parietal placentte. Ovules indefinite. 



Sty. — Consolidated with the stamens. Stig. a viscid cavity in front of the column. 

 Fr. — Capsule 3-ribbed, 3-valved. Sch. many, without albumen. 



An extensive order, embracing not less than 1500 species. They are among the most 

 interesting and curious of plants, almost always remarkable for the grotesque form of their 

 tortuous roots and stems, and the fragrance, brilliancy and odd structure of the flowers. 

 They are all perennial herbs, often acaulesceul, with fleshy conns, or tuberous, fasciculated 

 roots. Leaves simple, parallel-veined, entire. Flowers in terminal, or radical racemes, 

 spikes or panicles, rarely solitary. 



The Orchidacea; are natives of every part of the, world. In the tropics multitudes of 

 them are epiphytes, growing on living trees or decaying timber. 



This order is remarkable lor those qualities only, 'which please the eye. Many of its 

 species are cultivated tor ornament, but few of them possess either active or useful proper- 

 tics. The sakp of commerce is a nutritive, mucilaginous substance aflorded by the roots of 

 some Asiatic Orchis. The aromatic vanilla, used to flavor chocolate, &c.,islhe fruit of the 

 West Indian Vanilla claviculata. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



( ca\iline. Microstylis. 1 



Leaf I ovate, (radical. Aplectrum. 4 



solitary, I en.siform (rarelyi). Calopogon. 11 



Leaves j near base of stem. Liparis. 2 



2 only, ( near nuddle of stem. /-ufcra. 14 



\ radical. ( ringent. Goodyrra. 13 



Flowers Leaves < Sepals ( erect. SpiranthfS. 12 



;everal. (^several, ( cauline. Fls.3or4. Tiiphorn. 10 



■ SpurO. . . . ( Flower solitary, lip bearded within. Fugonia. 9 



I J PoUinia 2. Fls. bracteale. Orckis. 7 



( Fertile ] Lip spnr- ( flattish. (PoUinia 4. Fls. bractless. Tipularia. t> 



Leaves 1 < anth. 1. [ red at base, ) ventricose. Flower and leaf solitar)'. Ctihrpso. 5 



or more. ( Anthers 2 fertile, middle one sterile, pclaloid. Lip saccate. Cirj>rip(/lium. 15 



( Plants green. Flowers solitary. Lip bearded within. . ArtthiiM. 8 



Leaves 0. ( Plants destitute of green herbage. Flowers racemose. . Corallurkizn. 3 



§ Pollen cohering in grains ivhich finally become waxy, and are definite 

 in number. 



1. MICRO'STYLIS. 

 Segments of the perianth distinct, petals filiform; lip ses- 

 sile, concave, erect, truncate and bidentate at summit ; column 

 minute; pollinia 4, loose. 



Gr. jw.tx.go5, little, aTv'Koij style ; alluding to the slender column. 



1. M. ORPHIOGLOSSOI'dES. Niitt. iMalaxis orph. IFfflrf. M. unifolia. illi. 

 ictt/" solitary, ovate, ample.vicaul ; stem S-angled; raceme short, obtuse, 



capitate ; pedicels much longer than the t^owers. A small plant, in swamps, 

 &c. Stem 5 — 9 inches high, with a single leaf a little below the middle. 

 This leaf is rather acute, smooth, ovate or oval, about 2:^ inches in length, 1 

 in width. At the base of the stem, is an abrupt sheath, flowers whitish, 

 minute, numerous, in a terminal raceme an inch or more in length, dense at 

 top. Bracts minute. Pedicels about 4 lines long. June. 



2. M. BFt.\CIIY'PODA. Gray. M. monophyllus. JVilld. 

 Lcfff solit:iry; raceme subspicate, slender, elongated ; fioioers as long as the 



pedicels ; lateral petals refracted ; lip triangular-hastate, cucuUate, acumi- 

 nate. N. York. July. 



2. LIPA'RIS. 



Segments of llie perianth distinct, sublinear, spreading or 

 deflexed ; lip spreading, flat, ascending, often exterior ; col- 



