94 Orchidaceae 



united by elastic threads, waxy or powdery attached at 

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

 in a beak at the base of the anther or between its sacs ; 

 Btigma a viseid 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. 1. Piperia. 



Perianth spurless. 2. Gvrostachys. 



1. PIPERIA Rydb. Rein-orchis. 



Somewhat leafy below, the leaves usually withering be- 

 fore anthesis, those of the stem bract-like. Flowers green- 

 ish 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-lanceo- 

 late, 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, 

 ellipsoid in fruit. 



1. 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 Aliform, 

 slightly clavate, about twice as long as the lip and about equaling 

 the ovary. (Ilabenaria Unalaschensis of recent authors, in part, 

 not of Spreng.) 



Occasional in the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains, Haste', San 

 Gabriel Mountains. April. 



