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inferior being ruder in texture, and smaller, resemble a 

 calyx. Style with three stigmas, except some Comme- 

 Una. Pericarp a capsule of three cells and three valves, 

 with many seeds ; generally inferior, but not so in Com- 

 melina, Tradescantia, and Callisia. Hence it follows that 

 this order affords no certain mark, on which a distinctive 

 character could be founded." 



Order 7. Orchideje. " Orchis is a most ancient 

 generic appellation, alluding to the testicular shape of 

 the roots, in many plants of this family, which have, at 

 all times, been believed to possess a stimulating or aphro- 

 disiacal virtue. All the Orchidece might be compre- 

 hended in one genus, in which light also the Umbellata, 

 Semiflosculosa, Papilionacea, might each likewise be con- 

 sidered. But the science would be overwhelmed in con- 

 fusion by such extensive genera, which it is therefore 

 found necessary to subdivide. 



"Many Orchidece have a tuberous fleshy root; not 

 properly to be termed bulbous, because its fibres are 

 thrown out from the top, or crown, whereas true bulbs 

 produce their fibres from the base. These tubers, or 

 knobs, are mostly in pairs ; some of them globose and 

 undivided, others palmate, like the hand. One of these 

 tubers, from whence the plant of the present year has 

 come, being exhausted, will swim in water ; the other, 

 destined to blossom next season, is so solid as to sink. 

 In the palmate kinds, the former is vulgarly called the 

 hand of the Devil, the latter the hand of God. Ophrys 

 corallorrhiza however has a threadshaped, branched, 

 and jointed root ; that of O. bifolia is perfectly fibrous. 

 In other genera, particularly Epidendrum, the root con- 

 sists of clusters of fibres." 



" The stem is solitary and herbaceous, except in se- 

 veral kinds of Epidendrum, quite simple, often leafy. In 

 some however there is merely a leafless, radical flower- 

 stalk, generally round, though not so in Ophrys Loeselii 

 and palndosa. The leaves are simple, alternate, undi- 



