194 GYNANDRIA. 



radiate, and which supplies the place of stamens and style. 

 The nature of this process has been variously explained ; 

 the modern opinion is, that it is formed by the accretion ot 

 the stamens and style into a single mass, and this opinion 

 seems to be confirmed by analysis and analogy. The cen- 

 tral process, called the column, is understood to be formed 

 by the filaments of three stamens, surrounding a style, and 

 by mutual accretion firmly united with it, arid with each 

 other into a solid mass. Of these three stamens it most 

 frequently happens that the two lateral ones are sterile, and 

 not furnished with the vestige of an anthera. This, how- 

 ever, is not always the case, for in the Ladies' Slipper, 

 (Cypripedium,) the two lateral stamens are fertile, while the 

 central one is barren. Such is the organization in this class, 

 that it is difficult to see how the pollen reaches the stigma, 

 and consequently how the seeds are perfected, especially in 

 the orchis tribe. 



Gynandrous plants are among the most interesting vegetable 

 productions of the globe, whether we consider the vivacity 

 of their colors, or the singularity of their organization, or the 

 grotesque appearance of their roots, or the delicious perfume 

 of their flowers. These plants are widely distributed, and in 

 temperate countries are chiefly found in meadows and pas- 

 tures, among grass ; but in tropical countries they often con- 

 stitute the chief beauty of the forest, being parasites, and oc- 

 cupying the forked branches of trees. 



ORDER I. MONANDRIA. Stamen 1. 

 This order is divided into several parts, the divisions being 

 founded on the situation of the anthers, and the form of the 

 pollen. It contains most of the plants in the class. 



DIVISION I. Anther terminal, erect. Pollen granular, 

 cohering by an elastic ring. 



GENUS Orchis. This is the Greek name of the plant. 

 The genus has a ringent corolla. Lip spurred on the under 

 side at the base ; anther terminal, adhering. It is a curious 

 and beautiful tribe, many species of which are found in 

 New England. The Fimbriated kind, (Orchis Jlmbriata,) 



What is the appearance of the part of the class Gynandria, which an- 

 swers to the stamens of the other classes ? What is the definition of the 

 1st division in the 1st order of the class Gynandria ? What plants belong 

 to this division t 



