APRIL. 109 
GYNANDRIA. MoONANDRIA. 
PETALOIDES. ORCHIDACEZ. 
ORCHIS. (Orcuts.) 
Generic Character. Roofs often tubulous, stems herbaceous, 
leaves striated, and clasping the stem at the base. The flower 
is divided into six parts, of which three may be called the calyw 
and three the petals, though they are often of the same colour. 
The middle of the three inner divisions is mostly longer than the 
rest, and lobed, and is called the lip. At the back is a spur, 
which differs in length, being in some species very long, in others 
short. 
This beautiful tribe of plants now begins to make its ap- 
pearance, in the person of the Orchis mascula, or early 
Purple Orchis. 
Orcuts mascuLa. (Plate VI. Fig. 22.) arly Purple 
Orchis. This is a handsome species, and in many places 
very common; it usually inhabits woods and pastures. The 
stem is about a foot high, the spike of flowers at the top of 
a dark purple hue, the centre of th@lip lighter and spotted. 
The lip three-lobed, spur obtuse, rather longer than the 
tube of the flower, two-side calyx, leaves turned upwards, 
Leaves generally marked with dark purple spots. Ifthe young 
botanist finds this flower he will not fail to know others of 
