Biological Papers. 123 



Order XXX. ORCHIDALES. The Orchids. 

 Inflorescence in spikes, racemes, umbellate clusters, or solitary. Flow- 

 ers zygomorphous, two-lipped. Perianth of six segments, heteromorphous, 

 monosymmetric, in two series, the outer differing much from the inner; 

 the two ventro-lateral sepals are similar, the dorsal one slightly smaller, 

 and by a half-twist of the ovulary brought erect; the two dorso-lateral 

 petals are similar, the ventral one larger, and by the same twist brought 

 downward; often spurred at the base, and sometimes so contracted or 

 drawn at the margin as to form a sort of cup or sac (moccasin). Androe- 

 cium of one or two fertile stamens and one, two or five staminodia, the 

 whole united with the ovulary and style into a zygomorphous gynandrous 

 column. Pollination strictly entomophilous. Gynoecium an inferior tricar- 

 pellate unilocular ovulary, usually twisted so as to reverse the normal 

 position of the floral organs. Fruit a three-valved capsule; ovules innu- 

 merable; seeds minute. 



Family 59. Cypripediace^. Lady-slipper Family. 



Stems quite leafy and pubescent. Laminodia broad, many-nerved, 

 sheathing at the base. Perianth spreading; sepals separate, or two of 

 them united under the lip. Ventral petal (the lip) a large inflated sac 

 opening upward; dorso-lateral petals very long and slender, simulating 

 fancy shoe-laces. Fertile stamens two (the dorso-lateral ones of the inner 

 whorl), sessile on each side of the style; anthers with two double sporanges 

 each; barren stamen one (the dorsal one of the outer whorl), forming a 

 dilated fleshy appendage above the stigma. Pollinia granular, not waxy. 

 Stigma terminal, broad, rough. 



791. Cypripedium parviflorum Salisbury. Small Yellow Lady-slipper. 

 Woods and thickets, E. K., west to eastern edge of Shawnee county; rare. 

 May-June, (ASU) 



Family 60. Orchidacde.e. Orchis Family. 

 Perennial terrestrial herbs, often bog-plants, never epiphytic in this lati- 

 tude, from bulbs, corms, rootstocks, or tubers, with soft, broadly expanded, 

 campylodrome-nerved, sheathing or clasping laminodia, sometimes reduced 

 to mere scales with full sheaths. Perianth-segments difi'ering decidedly, 

 the odd outer segment upward usually much prolonged, and the odd inner 

 segment downward, termed the lip, of some bizarre shape different from 

 all the rest and specialized for a particular purpose. Stamen one, the dor- 

 sal one of the outer whorl, above; anther with two or four single or doub e 

 sporanges ; dehiscence opercular. Pollinia in two or four, rarely eight, 

 masses, cohering by waxy threads, attached at the base to a viscid disk 

 and liberated when the proper kind of insect visits the flower. Staminodia 

 two, the dorso-lateral ones of the inner whorl, each one lying in an andro- 

 clinium on either side of the stigniatic column. Dorsal carpel above barren 

 and prolonged into a rostellum overhanging the lip ; yentro-lateral carpels 

 below fertile ; stigmas viscid and receptive, and facing the lower petal in 

 such a way as to remove the pollen brought from another flower on the head 

 or body of its special insect, while the insect is engaged in taking nectar 

 from the nectar-cup. After this operation the insect receives a charge of 

 pollen from the anther over its back. The nectar in the cup or chalice is 



