THE OBCHIS FAMILY. 391 



Dot only among themselves, but in certain genera, both from all the other Liliaceee, 

 and even from Endogens in general. The species grown for the sake of their 

 flowers comprise the " lily of the valley," or Convalldria majdlis, the Solomon's 

 seal, above described, and one or two others of the same genus. With these, 

 however, the liliaceous character ceases. In the asparagus, although the flowers 

 are of the same type, the stem branches like a little fir-tree ; and in the butchers' 

 broom, or Ruscus aculedtuK, (E. B. viii. 5G0.) a plant not uncommon in shrub- 

 ben'ies, it is not only branched, but bard and woody. The "leaves" of this 

 curious shrub, (in reality small flattened branches) are oval, about an inch long, 

 deep-green, entire, and sharply pointed ; generally very numerous, and turned 

 edgeways through being twisted at the base. The small white blossoms seem as 

 if borne upon the middle of them, but are in fact each on a httle pedicel which arises 

 from the axil, and is closely adherent to the surface. The berries, which rarely 

 ripen near Manchester, resemble tiny red cherries, like those of the asparagus. 



Many other Lihacese occur in green-houses and hot-houses, including the 

 curious succulent plants called Aloes, (many of which do well also in parlours) 

 and the red-foliaged Draccenas. To the same family belong the Yucca, or Adam's 

 needle, occasionally planted out on lawns ; the New Zealand flax, or PhSrmium 

 tenax ; the tuberose, or Polidnthes, and that charming East Indian cHmber, the 

 Gloriosa superba. 



CXXVII.— THE ORCHIS FAMILY. Orchiddcece. 



The Orchis Family is without question the most extraordinary in 

 nature. In England the species all grow in the earth, but the principal 

 part of the tropical kinds perch themselves on the boughs and in the 

 clefts of trees, obtaining their nourishment from the decaying matter 

 casually collected about their string-like roots. To mark this peculi- 

 arity, and distinguish ihevixivova. parasites (p. 163), the tree-inhabiting 

 orchids are called epiphytes. No plants unfold flowers of more rare and 

 marvellous beauty, or of forms more extraordinary and indescribable, or 

 of odours more rich, or of colours more exquisite and vivid. In many 

 cases the blossoms resemble insects, birds, or reptiles, whence they are 

 called after the bee, the wasp, the lizard, the dove, the butterfly, and 

 so forth. Several of these vegetable mimics reside in our own island. 

 The distinguishing peculiarity of the structure of the Orchidacese is 

 the blending of the stamens, style, and stigma into a single body, named 

 the "column." The extreme irregularity and eccentric shapes of the 

 perianth, and the inferior and twisted ovary, containing innumerable 

 seeds that resemble the finest possible sawdust, combine with the 

 "column" to form their universal character. One of the petals is 

 generally in the form of a large and pendulous lower lip, and in this 



