Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula, 7 



11. ORCHIDEAFi 



Herbs or shrubs, either (1) terrestrial with a short stem, her- 

 baceous leaves and a ierminal or lateral spike or raceme, rarely 

 climbing plants, often leafless saprophytes, or {2} epiphytes with 

 short or long stems, branches of which may be swollen and fleshy, 

 (pseudobulbs) leaves usually coriaceous, flat, distichous, or terete or 

 (rarely) absent, roots long or short often flattened. Inflorescence 

 axillary or terminal spicate or racemose. Perianth superior irregu- 

 lar, consisting of three Sepals, two laterals free similar to the other 

 one, or connate more or less or prolonged below the ovary into a 

 spur-like sac, the mentum. Petals three, tAvo similar, the third op- 

 posite the column and upper sepal very difi'erent, the Up, often lobed, 

 and spurred, and bearing processes (calli) of various forms. Sta- 

 mens and style united into a column, opposite the lip. Column 

 long or short, erect on the top of the ovary, or prolonged below it 

 into a foot to which when present the lip is adnate, and frequently 

 also the lateral sepals also. Anther one terminal (except in Cypri- 

 pediuni, where there are two) adnate to the top of the column, or 

 stipitate by a short filament (sometimes forming the hood of the 

 column). " Pollen grains cohering in 2, 4, 6 or 8, waxy or powdery 

 masses (poUinia) prolonged or attached to one or two thin flat or 

 terete caudkJcs, terminating in a variously shaped adhesive disc, or 

 caudicle and disc absent. The other two stamens are represented 

 often by wings or arms of tbe column or indistinguishable. Stigmas 

 three, the upper one forming a flat rounded or triangular entire or 

 bifid beak below the anther, {rostellum) the other two forming a 

 viscid mass sunk in a hollow of the column, or rarely protruding 

 (stigma). Ovary inferior usually twisted, one-celled. Fruit cap- 

 sular, or rarely baccate elliptic, pyriform or cylindric. Seeds minute. 



Species over five thousand, occurring over the wJiole world, rare 

 in desert and arid regions and most abundant in the tropics. 



Tribes and Sub-tribes. 

 Fertile anther one. 



Pollinia waxy 3 to 8 witliout any cau- 

 dicle or disc Tribe I, Epidendreae. 



Pollinia 2 to 4 waxy, with one or two 

 caudicles and one or two discs. 



Epiphytic or terrestrial . . . . Tribe II, VanUeie, 



Pollinia mealy with one or two cau- 

 dicles and one disc. • 



Terrestrial plants often gaproph}'tic Tribe III, Xeottieae. 



