CLASS X. ORDER 1. J MONOTROPA. 585 



ments, the perianth of three outer and three inner petaloid pieces; 

 the stamens six in the outer circle, and three in the inner ; the styles 

 six, and the capsules the same number, which, moreover, are of a 

 remarkable structure of rare occurrence, the whole inner surface being 

 branched over with the placenta in a reticulated manner, to which the 

 numerous small erect seeds are attached. All these particulars in 

 the structure of Butomus are of considerable importance in reference 

 to the natural arrangement of plants, as we shall afterwards have 

 occasion to notice more at length. 



CLASS X. 



DECAN'DRIA. 10 Stamens. 



ORDER I. 



MONOGY'NIA. 1 Pistil. 



GENUS I. MONO'TROPA.— Linn. Bird's-nesL 



Nat. Ord. Mono'tuope^. Nutt. 



Gen. Char. Calyx of four or five coloured pieces, gibbous at the 



base. Petals four or five, slightly united at the base. Stamens 



eight or ten. Capsule with four or five cells, four or five valves, 



many seeded. Seeds invested with a netted arillus — Named 



from fjLcvog, one ; and r^i'jroo, to turn ; the flowers are all turned 



on one side. 



1. M. Hypo'pitys, Linn. (Fig. QQ5.) Yellow BircTs nest. Raceme 



of many drooping flowers, the lateral ones with eight, the terminal one 



with ten stamens ; the petals toothed. 



English Botany, t. 69.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 249.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 191. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 176. 



/S. hirsuta. Stem between the flowers pubescent, the inner side 

 and margins of the petals, stamens and pislil hairy. 



Root somewhat tapering and scaly, with branched fibres, attaching 

 itself parasitically to the roots of trees and shrubs. Stem erect, from 

 six to twelve inches high, simple, or slightly branched, succulent, of a 

 dingy straw colour, scattered over with sessile ovate acute scale-like 

 leaves^ somewhat fleshy, and of the same colour as the stem. Inflo- 

 rescence a terminal raceme, of several flowers, drooping on one side, 

 erect when in seed, each on a short pedicle, from the axis of a scaly 

 hractea, all of the same dingy yellow as the stem. Calyx of four, the 

 terminal flower of five oblong pieces, concave at the base, somewhat 

 spurred externally. Corolla of four, the terminal one of five oblong 



