CHAP. III.] SCITAMINE^. 441 



also takes strange shapes, sometimes resembling 

 a bee, at others a fly, and at others a spider. 

 In the genus Cypripedium, the two side stamens 

 bear anthers and pollen, and only the central 

 one is imperfect. 



In the orchideous epiphytes the same general 

 construction prevails, but the forms of the 

 flowers are still more varied and fantastic. 

 All of them have pseudo bulbs above ground, 

 which serve as substitutes for the tubers of the 

 terrestrial species. 



ORDER CLXXXIV.— SCIT AMINES. 



This order contains several plants, well known 

 for their useful properties, as for example, the 

 Ginger {Zingiber officinale)^ and the Turmeric 

 {Curcuma Zerumbet). SoQie of the plants grow 

 tall and reed-like, as for example in Hedychi- 

 um. Most of the genera have a creeping under- 

 ground stem, called a rhizoma, which is often 

 jointed. The flowers are produced in spathe 

 like bracts ; the calyx is tubular, and adheres 

 to the ovary ; and the corolla, which is also tu- 

 bular, has six segments arranged in two rows ; 

 the inner row, which is supposed to consist of 

 the dilated filaments of abortive stamens^ has 

 one of the segments, called the labellum, larger 

 than the rest. There are three stamens, two 



