84 BOTANY. 



well-known yellow die. Cardamom seeds come from various species of 

 Amomum and Elettaria. 



Zingiber officinale {pi. 58, 59, fig. 7) ; a, the entire plant ; 6, c, pieces 

 of the rhizoma. 1-6, various parts of the flower; 7-11, do. of the fruit. 

 Curcuma zedoaria [pi. 58, fig. 6).) 1-5, rhizoma ; a-e, various parts of the 

 plant. 



Order 35. Orchidace^, the Orchis Family. Flowers bisexual. Perianth 

 adherent, herbaceous, or colored, with a six-partite limb, the segments being 

 arranged in two rows ; exterior row, called the calyx (although Lindley 

 says it is more properly the corolla, the true calyx or calyculus being 

 usually abortive), consisting of three segments (rarely two by adhesion), the 

 odd one of which is often next the axis by a twisting of the ovary ; interior 

 row called the corolla (regarded by Lindley as petaloid stamens), consisting 

 usually of three segments (very rarely one), the odd one of which is called 

 the labellum or lip. This labellum frequently difiiers from the other divisions 

 of the perianth, assuming remarkable forms, being lobed, spurred at the base, 

 or furnished with peculiar appendages, which are sometimes derived from 

 the stigma. It is sometimes divided by contraction, so as to exhibit three 

 distinct portions, the loAvest being the hypochilium ; the middle, mesochilium ; 

 and the upper, the epichilium. Stamens three, epigynous, united in a central 

 column along with the style ; the two lateral stamens are usually abortive, 

 the central one opposite the odd exterior segment being fertile ; but at 

 times the two lateral are fertile, and the central one is abortive ; anthers 

 one-, two-, four-celled ; pollen powdery or cohering in definite or indefinite 

 waxy masses (poUinia), which often adhere by a caudicle to a gland 

 connected with the beak (rostellum) of the stigma. This gland is sometimes 

 naked, at other times in a sac or pouch (bursicula). Ovary adherent, one- 

 celled, composed of six carpels, of Avhich three only are placentiferous 

 (Lindley) ; style incorporated with the column (gynostemium, pistil, and 

 stamen) ; stigmas a viscid hollow space in front of the column, communi- 

 cating directly with the ovary by an open canal. The upper part of the 

 united stigmas is often extended into a beak-like process (rostellum). 

 Placentas three, parietal. Fruit a capsule, opening by three or six valves, 

 rarely fleshy, and indehiscent. Seeds 00, very minute, with a loose 

 reticulated spermoderm, exalbuminous ; embryo solid, fleshy ; large radicle 

 next the hilum. Perennial herbs or shrubs, with fibrous or tubercular roots, 

 either no stem or a pseudo-bulb, entire parallel-veined often sheathing leaves, 

 and generally showy, attractive flowers. Sometimes buds are produced on 

 the margins of the leaves. They are natives of almost all parts of the 

 world, but they abound in moist tropical regions. They are not found in the 

 Arctic regions, nor in very dry climates. Some are terrestrial, and others 

 are epiphytic. The former are commonly seen in temperate climates, the 

 latter in warm regions. 



The plants of this order are well distinguished by the peculiar form of 



their flowers, their remarkable lip, gynandrous stamens, and pollen masses. 



Their flowers often resemble insects, as butterflies, moths, bees, flies, and 



spiders ; or birds, as doves and eagles ; or reptiles, as snakes, lizards, and 



84 



