^2 NATIVE BRITISH ORCHIDACE^ 



The poUen-^rrains are immersed in a semi-fluid paste, and there is no rostellum, 

 the adhesive matter bemg secreted by the anther. All tliree stigmas are receptive to 



^''in^'addition to C. calceolus, widely distributed in Europe, C. guttatum Sw. and 

 C macranthum Sw. are found in Russia, and extend to Japan. The ancient character 

 of the genus is shown by its wide distribution throughout Europe, temperate and 

 tropical Asia, and N. America. 



I. Cypripedium calceolus L. 



PI. i; PL A, fig. 4 (p. 6). Lady's Slipper, Sabot de Venus 



Tubers none. Rhizome thick, short-jointed, creeping, often branching and forming 

 new shoots; roots numerous, cylindrical, sinuous. Stem 20-50 cm., taU, erect, 

 flexuous round, downy, with 3-4 short broad obtuse brown or green leafless sheaths 

 at base. Leaves 3-5, large (up to 12 cm. long or more), somewhat folded, embracmg 

 the stem broadly ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute, green (paler beneath), margms 

 wavy shortly cihate, with ± 11 principal nerves and many intermediate ones, and 

 short'scattered hairs below and sometimes above, chiefly on the nerves. Flowers 

 hanging from the tip of the curved ovary, solitary (rarely two), large, with bright 

 yeUow pouch-shaped inflated lip, and brownish purple (very rarely yellow, white, or 

 greenish) sepals and petals, and a sweet orange-Hke smeU. Bracts broadly lanceolate, 

 more or less resembling the leaves. Ovary long, slender, curved, stalked, 6-ribbed, 

 with short erect hairs. Sepals lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, long, tapermg, acute, 

 several-nerved, brown-purple (rarely yellow), downy on inner face, hairy at the base 

 with wavy sometimes reflexed edges; upper sepal broader, erect, lower two jomed 

 together (except at the 2-toothed tip) pointing downwards. Petals slightly longer and 

 narrower, of the same colour, ribbon-like, linear-lanceolate to Imear, tapering, acute, 

 twisted, with downy mid-rib and long hairs at the base in front. Lip yeUow, mflated, 

 bag-shaped, curved forwards and slightly compressed from back to front, with a 

 rounded opening in front with inrolled edges, a small ear-shaped aperture on each side 

 between the base of the hp and the column, and several concentric nerves ; on its floor 

 are lines of crimson spots and a central band of hairs denser towards its base, of which 

 some secrete tiny drops of fluid at their tips, which form a brittle crust when dry. Column 

 (PI A fig. 4)' yellowish green, 5-lobed; base short, thick ; side-lobes short, curved, horn- 

 like each bearing an anther on its lower surface ; mid-lobe long, curved obUquely down- 

 wards, expanding into a large thick body whose under-surface forms the stigma. Back 

 of column prolonged into a stalk bearing a greatly enlarged staminode (modified anther), 

 petaloid, oblong, sub-cordate at base, trough-like with upturned sides above, strongly 



' Vide p. 6. 



