BURMANNIACEAE. 
1. Burmannia bifldra L. Northern 
Burmannia. (Fig. 1087. ) 
Burmannia biflora ¥,. Sp. Pl. 287. 1753. 
Tripterella coerulea Nutt. Gen. 1:22. 1818. 
Stems very slender, 2’-6’ high, from a few 
fibrous roots, simple or forked above. Flowers 
I or several, often 2, terminal. Angles of the 
perianth-tube conspicuously winged, the outer 
lobes ovate, acute, the inner linear and in- 
curved; seeds very numerous, oblong-linear, 
sparingly striate, escaping through irregular 
fissures in the sides of the capsule. 
In swamps and bogs, Virginia to Florida and 
Louisiana. Sept.—Nov. 
Family 28. ORCHIDACEAE Lindl. Nat. Syst. Ed. 2, 336. 1836.* 
ORCHID FAMILY. 
Perennial herbs, with corms, bulbs or tuberous roots, sheathing entire leaves, 
sometimes reduced to scales, the flowers perfect, irregular, bracted, solitary, 
spiked or racemed. Perianth superior, of 6 segments, the 3 outer (sepals) sim- 
ilar or nearly so, 2 of the inner ones (petals) lateral, alike; the third inner one 
(ip) dissimilar, ‘often markedly so, usually larger, often spurred, sometimes in- 
ferior by torsion of the ovary or pedicel. Stamens variously united with the 
style into an unsymmetrical column; anther 1 or in Cypripedium 2, 2-celled; pol- 
len in 2-8 pear-shaped usually stalked masses ( pollinia), united by elastic threads, 
the masses waxy or powdery, attached at the base to a viscid disk (gland). 
Style often terminating in a beak (rostellum) at the base of the anther or be- 
tween its sacs. Stigma a viscid surface, facing the lip beneath the rostellum, 
or in a cavity between the anther-sacs (clinandrium). Ovary inferior, usually 
long and twisted, 3-angled, 1-celled; ovules numerous, anatropous, on 3 parie- 
tal placentae. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds very numerous, minute, mostly spindle 
shaped, the loose coat hyaline, reticulated; endosperm none; embryo fleshy. 
About 410 genera and 5000 species, of wide distribution, most abundant in the tropics, many of 
those of warm regions epiphytes. 
Anthers 2; lip a large inflated sac. 1. Cypripedium. 
Anthers solitary. 
Anther-sacs divergent; pollinia with a caudicle w hich is attached at base toa viscid disk or gland. 
Glands enclosed in a pouch. 2. Orchis. 
Glands not enclosed in a pouch. 3. Habenaria. 
Anther-sacs parallel; pollinia not produced into a caudicle (except apparently in no. 14). 
Pollinia granulose or powdery. 
Flowers solitary or few; anther incumbent on a column 4’’ long or less. 
Lip crested with straight, somewhat fleshy hairs. 
Column clavate; lip free. 4. Pogonia. 
Column linear, dilated above, the lip adherent to its base. 5. Arethusa. 
Lip bearded with long club-shaped hairs. 15. Limodorum. 
Flowers numerous, in spikes or racemes; anther erect, jointed to a column not over 2” 
long. 
Anther operculate; leaves broad, alternate. 6. Epipactis. 
Anther not operculate. 
Leaves green, borne on the stem. 
Leaves alternate; spike mostly twisted. 7. Gyrost achys. 
Leaves 2, opposite; spike not twisted. 8. Lislera. 
Leaves white-reticulated, basal. 9. Periamium. 
Pollinia smooth and waxy. 
Plants with corms or solid bulbs; leaves basal or cauline. 
Leaves unfolding before or with the flowers. 
Leaf cauline; lip ovate, or auricled at the base. 10. Achroanthes. 
Leaf or leaves basal. 
Leaves 2; lip flat; flowers racemed. 11. Leptorchts. 
Leaf 1; lip saccate; flower solitary. 12, Calypso. 
*Text contributed by the late Rev. THOMAS MORONG. 
