86 ORCHIDACEAE. 



the base to a viscid disk {gland). Style often terminating 

 in a beak at the base of the anther or between its sacsi 

 stigma a viscid surface. Ovary inferior, usually long 

 and twisted, 3-angled, 1-celled; ovules numerous, on 3 

 parietal placentae. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds numerous, 

 minute, mostly spindle-shaped; endosperm none; embryo 

 fleshy. 



Perianth with a spur. 



Leaves 2, basal, withering before anthesis. 1. Piperia. 



Leaves several, cauline, not withering until 



the fruit is set. 2. Limnorchis. 



Perianth not spurred. 



Flowers in a dense twisted spike. 3. Gyrostachys. 



Flowers in a loose leafy-bracted raceme. 4. Epipactus. 



L PIPERIA Rydb. Rein-orchis. 



Somewhat leafy below, the leaves usually withering 

 before anthesis, those of the stem bract-like. Flowers 

 greenish or white; sepals and petals 1 -nerved; the upper 

 sepal ovate or lanceolate, erect; the lateral ones spreading, 

 linear to lanceolate, their bases united with the claw of 

 the lip; upper petals free, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 

 oblique; the blade of the lip linear-lanceolate to ovate, 

 obtuse, truncate or hastate at the base. Anther-cells 

 parallel, opening nearly laterally. Stigma a small beak 

 in the angle between the anther-cells; ovary sessile, 

 eUipsoid in fruit. 



L P. lancifolia Rydb. Stem stout, 3-5 dm. high; basal leaves 

 and lower stem leaves lanceolate, alternate, 10-15 cm. long, 1-2 

 cm. wide, withering after anthesis; spike many-flowered, lax, 2-3 

 dm. long; bracts ovate, acute, striate, about | as long as the flowers; 

 flowers greenish, 11-13 mm, long; upper sepal ovate, obtuse, about 

 4 mm. long; blade round-ovate, scarcely at all hastate, thick with 

 prominent medium ridge; spur filiform, slightly clavate, about twice 

 as long as the lip and about equaling the ovary. {Habenaria 

 unalaschensis of recent authors, in part, not Spreng.) 



Occasional in the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains, 

 Hasse; San Gabriel Mountains. April. 



2. P. longispica (Durand) Rydb. Stem stout, 3-7 dm. high; 

 basal leaves and lower stem leaves 2-4, lanceolate, acute, 10-15 

 cm. long, 2-3.5 cm. wide, withering about the time of anthesis; 

 spike many- flowered, rather lax, 1-3 dm. long; bracts ovate-lance- 

 olate, 5-10 mm. long, acuminate; flowers greenish, about 5 mm. 

 long; lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate, obtuse; petals broadly lance- 



