[:>2 Qiu 1 1 1 1 > a < r..K. (ORCHIS family.) 



t B. capitata. Stems setaceous, simple ; leaves subulate, scattered ; 

 flowers several in a terminal duster, white, tinged with blue ; perianth 3-angled, 

 wingless, the interior lobes linear, erect ; -reds linear-oblong, spirally striate. 

 (Tripterella capitata, Michx.) — Low or swampy pine barrens, Florida to North 

 Carolina. Sept. - Nov. — Stems 2' - 6' high. 



2. APTERIA, Nutt. 



Perianth terete, tubular-bell-shaped, 6-cleft, with the 3 interior lobes smaller. 

 Stamens ■'!, verj short, opposite the interior lobes of the perianth, the filaments 

 flat ami orbicular at the apex : anthers closely adhering to the globose stigmas. 

 Ovary L-celled, with three 2-winged parietal placentae. Capsule obovate, split- 

 ting from the base into three valves, which remain attached to the apex of the 

 persistent placenta. Seeds ovoid. — A small perennial herb, with subulate 

 bract-like leave-, and scattered nodding flowers. 



1 . A. setacea, Nutt. Deep shady woods, along the margins of swamps, 

 Florida, Georgia, and westward. Sept. and Oct. — Stem erect or ascending, 

 purple, filiform, simple or branched, 2' -8' high. Leaves scattered. Flowera 

 few, distant, on nodding pedicels. Perianth white, 5" long. 



Order 142. ORCHIDACEiE. (Orchis Family.) 

 Perennial herbs, with simple stems, from thick fibrous or tuberous roots, 



nerved leaves, and irregular often showy flowers. — Perianth 6-parted, 



united below with the 1-oelled ovary; the three outer divisions (calyx) 

 and commonly tun of the inner ones (petals) similar in form; hut the. 

 third, posterior, or, by the twisting of the ovary, anterior one (/.'//"/honor 

 Lip) differs from the others in form, ami often hears a spuror prominence 



,,t the base beneath. Stamens :i, united with the style into a column, 

 me- ,„• (in Cypripedium) two only bearing a '.'-celled anther. Pollcn- 

 grains cohering in •_', 4, or 8 waxy or powdery masses (PoUinid). Cap- 

 sule with three parietal placentae, splitting at the sides into three \al\es. 



Seed- \er\ numerous, minute, covered with a loose membranaceous testa. 



Albumen none. Plants mostly smooth and more or less sueeuleiit. 



Leaves almost always alternate, sheathing and entire. Stems leafj or 

 scape-like, flowers bracted, solitary, -piked, or recemed, and remark- 

 able lor their \ arious ami singular forms. 



Synopsis. 

 i. Anther iolltary, fixed t" the :i]«.x ofthe column IDra :i ltd, deciduous. 



Trihe I. M A LAX I DK.T*.. - Pollen in Smooth WaXJ matte!, without stalks or nuinoct. 



[jjg ti- .1. . BOOl - luli.rc.U8. 



• Stl'lllS lcllly. 



1 MTCR09TYLIB. Lip cordate or nglttete. Column minute, B-toothed Bt Urn ape* 

 2. LIPABI8. Up entire. Column elongated, incurri L at the apex. 



