ORCHID FAMILY 



499 



one in our region. The Agaves are very important plants in 

 Mexico where the natives obtain from them pulque, a fermented 

 drink, mescal, a distilled drink resembling rum, and various 

 fibers as sisal hemp and henequen. 



In connection with families noted for fibers and not previously 

 referred to, there is the Linden family of the Dicotyledons from 

 which Jute is obtained and the Banana-like plant of the Banana 

 family from the leaf stalks of which Manila hemp is obtained. 



Orchid Family (Orchi- 

 daceae).This family in- 

 cludes the most highly 

 developed Monocotyle- 

 dons, and if the Monoco- 

 tyledons are higher than 

 the Dicotyledons, then 

 the plants of this family 

 are the most highly de- 

 veloped of the plant king- 

 dom. In the Orchids the 

 flowers are highly spe- 

 cialized, often very 

 showy, and present in- 

 teresting adaptations to 

 secure cross-pollination. 

 The family includes nu- 

 merous species but the in- 

 dividuals in each species 

 are comparatively few. 

 The most highly special- 

 ized ones are tropical and 

 occur only in greenhouses 

 in the temperate regions. 



The flowers are epigynous and show extreme irregularity 

 (Fig 454). One of the petals called the Up varies much in shape 

 and is usually very different from the other petals. The one 

 or two stamens join with the style of the pistil to form the column^ 

 In most cases the pollen sticks together, forming masses called 

 pollinia, and it is in these masses that the pollen is carried from 

 one flower to another by insects. 



FIG. 454. A flower of an Orchid (Cypripe- 

 diwri), showing the irregularity among the 

 parts. Notice the slipper-like pouch of the 

 corolla with pistil (p) and anther (s) above its 

 main opening, (w) small openings in sides of 

 pouch. After C. M. King. 



