ORCHID FAMILY 



463 



3. CoRALLORRHfzA (Coral-root). — Brown plants, living in 

 decaying vegetable matter, without true roots or leaves, but with a 

 fleshy underground stem with interlacing branches resembling 

 coral ; brown, sheathing leaf-scales ; a few small, stalked flowers, 

 with a 3-lobed lip with a minute spur united to the ovary ; a 

 short column; and 4 distinct pollinia. (Name from the Greek 

 kordllion, coral, rhiza, root.) 



I. C. trifida (Spurless Coral-root). — The 

 only British species, a curious brown plant, 

 6 — 10 in. high, with a few leaf -scales and a 

 loose raceme of 4 — 8 small, yellowish-green 

 flowers with a white lip with red warts on 

 it. — Boggy woods in Scotland ; very rare. — 

 Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



4. Neottia (Bird's-nest Orchis). — Brown 

 saprophytes, with sheathing leaf-scales; 

 flowers brown, in a raceme ; sepals and 

 lateral petals forming a hood ; lip 2-lobed, 

 pouched at its base. (Name from the 

 Greek neottia, a bird's nest, from the inter- 

 lacing fleshy roots.) 



I. N. Nidus-avis (Bird's-nest Orchis). — 

 The only British species, a pale brown plant, 

 about a foot high, with a root of many inter- 

 lacing fleshy fibres, from the extremities of 

 which the young plants are produced ; 

 numerous brown leaf-scales and brown, 

 stalked flowers. — Shady woods, especially 

 among fallen Beech leaves ; frequent. — Fl. 

 June, July. Perennial. 



5. LfsTERA (Twayblade). — Root of fleshy 

 fibres; leaves 2, opposite; flowers stalked, 

 green ; sepals and lateral petals spreading ; 

 lip anterior, 2 — 4-lobed, not spurred. 

 (Named in honour of Dr. Martin Lister, an 

 English naturalist.) 



1. L corddta (Lesser or Heart-leaved Twayblade) — A small, 

 glabrous plant, 4 — 8 in. high ; stem angular, slender ; leaves 

 sessile, membranous, ovate-cordate, acute ; flowers few, small, 

 greenish, in a loose raceme ; lip 4-lobed. — Mountain moors ; un- 

 common. — Fl. June — September. Perennial. 



2. L. ovdta (Twayblade). — A coarse, pubescent plant, i — 2 feet 

 high, with a tapering stem, round in section ; large, broadly ovate, 



xr.oTTiA ki'dcs-.4vis 

 (^BircTs-nest Orchis). 



