265 



others : it consists almost entirely of a chemical principle called Bassorin, 

 Turner, 699. The root of Bletia verecunda is said to be stomachic. Lunan. 

 And some of the South American species, such as the Catasetums, Cyrti- 

 podiums, &c., contain a viscid juice, which, being inspissated by boiling:, 

 becomes a kind of vegetable glue used for economical purposes in Brazil, 

 The aromatic substance called Vanilla is the succulent fruit of a climbing 

 West Indian plant of the order. 



ExAiMPLEs. The following are the sections proposed in my Orchidearum 

 Sceletos {1826). 



§ I. Pollen simple, or consisting of granules in a lax state of cohesion. 



Tribe 1. Neottie;e. Anther parallel with the stigma, and erect. 

 (Goodyera, Spiranthes.) 



Tribe 2. Arethuse^e. Anther terminal, opercular. (Pogonia, Epi- 

 pactis.) 



§ II. Pollen cohering in granules, which finally become waxy, and are 

 indefinite in number. 



Tribe 3. Gastrodie.t-. Anther terminal, opercular. (Gastrodia, Va- 

 nilla.) 



Tribe 4. Opiikydea:. Anther terminal, erect or inverted. Pollen 

 masses with a caudicula. (Orchis, Ophrys.) 



§ III. Pollen cohering in grains, which finally become waxy, and are 

 definite in number. 



Tribe 5. Vande^. Pollen-masses attached to the stigma by a trans- 

 parent caudicula and gland. (Oncidium, Brassia.) 



Tribe 6. Epidendre.=e. Pollen-masses attached to the stigma by 

 filiform, powdery, reflexed caudiculse. (Bletia, Epidendrum.) 



Tribe 7. MalaxidejE. Pollen-masses loose, sometimes cohering at 

 the apex by a viscid, or powdery, or granular matter. (Malaxis, Den- 

 drobium.) 



§ IV. Lateral anthers, fertile; the middle one sterile and petaloid. 



Tribe 8. CvpRiPEOiEiE. (Cypripedium.) 



CCXLI. SCITAMINEiE. The Ginger Tribe. 



Cannae, Juss. Gen. C2. (1789), in part. — Drymyrhize^, Vent. Tahl. (1799); Dec. 

 Ess. Med. 281. (181C). — SciTAMiNEiE, i?. £mwt Prorfr. 305. (1810); Agardh 



Aph. 182. (1823); Rose, ilfowof/r. — Zingiberace^, Rich. Anal. Fr. (1808). 



Amome^, Juss. in MirbeVs Eltm. 854. (1815); Ach. Rich. Nouv. Elem. ed. 4. 

 438. (1828)._Alvixiace.'E, Link Handb. 1. 228. (1829), a § o/ Scitamineae. 



Diagnosis. Tripetaloideous monocotyledons, with a single 2-celled 

 anther. 



Anomalies. Hellenia abnormis has a unilocular monospermous ova- 

 rium. 



Essential Character Calyx superior, tubular, 3-lobed, short. Corolla tubu- 

 lar, irregular, with 6 segments in 2 whorls; the outer 3-parted, nearly equal, or with 

 the odd segment, sometimes differently shaped; the inner (sterile stamens) 3-parted, 

 with the intermediate segment {labellum) larger than the rest, and often 3-lobed, the 

 lateral segments sometimes nearly abortive. Stamens 3, distinct, of which the 2 lateral 

 are abortive, and the intermediate 1 fertile; this placed opposite the labellum, and 

 arising from the base of the intermediate segment of the outer series of the corolla. 

 Filament not petaloid, often extended beyond the anther in the shape of a lobed or 

 entire appendage. Anther 2.celled, opening longitudinally, its lobes often embracing the 

 upper part of the style. Pollen globose, smooth. Ovarium 3-celIed, sometimes imper- 

 fectly so; ovula several, attached to a placenta in the axis; sft/le filiform; stif/ma dilated, 



