ORCHID FAMILY 461 



boat-shaped box resembling a lower lip, and the labellum forms 

 a lid that exactly fits it, and is hinged on a claw which reaches 

 the middle of the column. When the flower opens, the labellum 

 turns round within the column, and falls back, so that, the flow^er 

 being inverted, it stands fairly over the latter. The moment a 

 small insect touches its point, the labellum makes a sudden 

 revolution, brings the point to the bottom of the column, and 

 thus makes prisoner for a time any insect which the box will 

 hold. With the exception of Vanilla, the long dried pods of 

 Vanilla planijolia and other species of that climbing genus, which 

 is now extensively cultivated throughout the Tropics for the sake 

 of the crystallisable aromatic substance vanillin, which renders 

 it valuable as a flavouring for chocolate and other sweetmeats, 

 no plant of this Order is extensively used in the arts. On 

 account of their beauty and singular aspect, however, great 

 attention has of late years been paid to the cultivation of exotic 

 orchids ; and by imitating their natural conditions of heat and 

 moisture great success has been attained. If an orchid-house 

 be well managed, some one or other of these curious air-plants 

 may be seen in bloom at all seasons of the year, clinging to 

 bits of wood or virgin cork, or simply suspended by wires from 

 the roof. 



* Anther i only 



1 . Malaxis. — A leafy plant ; ftowers stalked, not inverted ; lip 

 posterior, not spurred, entire; column short; pollinia 4, waxy, on 

 one gland. 



2. LiPARis. — Leafy plants ; flowers stalked ; lip anterior, not 

 spurred, entire ; column long ; pollinia 4, waxy. 



3. CoRALLORRHizA. — Brown saprophytes ; flowers stalked, 

 yellowish-green ; lip anterior, 3-lobed, minutely spurred, white 

 with red spots ; column short : pollinia 4, free. 



4. Neottia. — Brown saprophytes; ^07£^^f 5 stalked, light brown, 

 hooded; lip anterior, 2-lobed, pouched; column long; pollinia 2, 

 united ; pollen powdery. 



5. LiSTERA. — Leaves 2, opposite ; flowers stalked, green ; lip 

 anterior, 2 — 4-lobed, not spurred ; column very short ; pollinia 2, 

 united ; pollen powdery. 



6. Spiranthes. — Leafy plants ; flowers not stalked, in a spiral 

 spike; lip anterior, not spurred, entire; pollinia 2, united; pollen 

 powdery. 



7. Epipactis. — Leafy plants ; flowers not stalked, in a spiral 

 spike ; lip anterior, pouched, entire ; pollinia 2, united ; pollen 

 loosely coherent. 



