Supplement. 



581 



Opuntia — continued. 



ORCHIS. The British Flora embraces nine speoies. 

 To those described on pp. 520-1, Vol. II., the followiug 

 varieties should now be added : 



O. longicruris foliis-maculatis (spott^dleaTed). In this 

 variety the leaves are marked with larjje, irregular, brownish- 

 purple blotchea. ^ 1884. (R. G. 1149, t. 5. under name of 

 0. undulati/oha /olus-7naculatiis.) 



O. macnlata snpcrba (superb). Jt. rich 



mauve, spotted ami blotche<l purple; spikea 

 den^e, about 1ft. long. May and June. 

 I dark green, spott.d jmrple. h, lift. A 

 fine varioty. 



OBIXA. 



(whioh ^ee). 



Inclndod under Celastrus 



ORNITHIDIUM. To tUo speoiea 



deacribod on p. 524, Vol. H., the follow- 

 ingf should now be added : 



O. ochraccum (<>duo). Jl. very sniall ; h<>]>;iN 

 and i>etal.s (icbrr, Mith a fuw uiauve-puruiu 

 spots, lipiilatf*. arntt* ; lip white, tho disk 

 of thu aiiti'rior lafiiiia orliri', r^p(lttell uiauTe. 

 I. runeatti-oblou^f uueo'ially acuuiinutr, rar- 

 tilaKinouH. pHciido - bulbs ulliptital, au- 

 cipitous. New Grenada, 1887. 



Fm. 51. Roots of Opunti.v M-vcaoRUiZA. 



O.filipendula(drooping-threaded). .;T. pur- 

 plish, 2^in. in diameter, very haudsouie. 

 May and June. Stems about Iffc. high, 

 spreading ; johits flat, round or oval, about 

 3in. long, often less, bluish -glaucous ; 

 cuahiona ^in. apart, composed of a little 

 tuft of white, woolly hair, and a cluster of 

 erect, rather strong bristles ; spines usually 

 one to each cushion, slender, dedexed, 

 white, lin. to 2in. long, but absent from 

 some joints. Mexico. Stove. See Fig, 49. 



O. macrorhlza (large-rooted). /. yellow. 

 large and beautiful. Summer. Stems cy- 

 lindrical at maturity ; joints flattened, 

 battledore • like, with deciduous spines 

 longer than the tufted bristles on the 

 stems, the newly-developed joints having 

 small leaves ; roots thick and fleshy, having 

 the appearance of potatoes, and supposed 

 to be edible. Texas, This species resem- 

 bles 0. Rajinesquii, Set- Figs. 50 and 51. 



O. rosea (rosy), fl. bright rose, 2in. across, 

 borne on the ends of the ripened growths 

 of the j'ear, usually clustered. June. 

 Stem erect, freely branching; joints 2iu. 

 to 6in. long, cylindrical; tubercles riage- 

 like, bearing on their points small cu'<hions 

 of very fine bristles, and tufts of pale 

 yellowish spines aV>out Jin. long all point- 

 ing upwards. Brazil. A' distinct and hand- 

 aome, but rare species. See Fig, 52. 



OBCHIDANTHA (from Orchis, 

 an Orchid, and anthos, a flower ; in 

 allusion to the Orchid-like appearance 

 of the flowers). Ord. Scitaminem, A 

 monotjpic genus. The species is a 

 very remarkable and interesting-, stove, 

 perennial herb, resembling a dwarf 

 Heliconia in foliage, but with flowers 

 like those of an Orchid. For culture, 

 see Heliconia, on p. 128, Vol. II. 



O, bomeensis (Bornean). ^.produced ii 

 abort spikes close to the ground ; sepals 

 yellowish at base, purplish towards the 

 apex, narrow linear-lanceolate, acute, lin. 

 long ; petals blackish-violet, linear, obtuse, 

 anstate, rather more than Jin. long; lip 

 blackish- violet, linear, acuminate, lin. long ; 

 stamens five. L elliptic-oblong, acuminate, 

 bright green, 6in. to Sin. long, 2iin. to 3in. 

 t>road ; petioles 5in. tolOin. long. Borneo, 



loo6. 



FlG 52. PORTION OF FLOWEBI.NG PLAI^ OF OPfNTlA fiOSEA- 



