THE ORCHIDS OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 431 



with the stem. They vary in consistence from fleshy or succulent to 

 membranous. The fleshy leaves are narrowly oblong in shape, with 

 usually an indented apes ; the thinner leaves vary greatly in shape. In 

 position they are always alternate, but when they are crowded together 

 this is a difficult point to ascertain. In elongate stems they are usually 

 disposed along two opposite sides of the stem (distichous or two-ranked). 



The flower.-; are either arranged in spikes, i.e., the axis of the flower- 

 mo- branch is undivided and each separate flower has not a distinct stalk, or 

 they are arranged in racemes, when each flower has a distinct stalk. 

 These spikes or racemes are in panicles when the main axis, instead of 

 beino' simple, is divided into two or more separate branches* 



When the flowers or the parts bearing them (inflorescence) appear to 

 rise directly from or below the surface of the ground, the whole is 

 called a scape, and this term is sometimes even applied to the inflores- 

 cence of an orchid irrespective of its position. 



The part which forms the axis or the separate branches of a com- 

 pound inflorescence is known as peduncle or rachis ; the same term is 

 applied to the stalk of a solitary flower when it, of course, forms the 

 sole axis. The stalks of individual flowers are called pedicels. When 

 flowers are distinctly stalked they are pedicellate ; when the stalks are 

 altogether absent the flowers are sessile ; when only the vestige of a 

 stalk is apparent the flower is subsessile. 



At the base of each flower stalk there is a body, varying from leaf- 

 like to scale-like in form and also varying in colour, called the bract. 



The pedicel or stalk of the flower consists of a long or short actual 

 stalk gradually merging into the clubshaped and grooved body called 

 the ovary. This latter ultimately becomes the fruit and it contains an 

 infinite number of minute granules (ovules), which are the seeds when the 

 fruit developes. If the ovary be cut through transversely it will be found 

 to be hollow with the ovules arranged on definite lines on its inner 

 surface (placentas). When the fruit is ripe it bursts into three valves 

 liberatino- the mass of light, minute, chaffv seeds. As the fruits of 

 orchids are neglected in botanical descriptions no further attention 

 need be directed to them. 



Immediately on the top of the ovary (which is thus inferior) is seen 

 what is popularly known as the flower. It consists of six external flat- 

 tened, leaf-like bodies, arranged in two series of three each, called the 

 perianth. The three outermost are more or less alike and are known 



