4 2 



SPOTTED ORCHIS. 



[CHAP. 



the coherent portion (tube) being wholly adnate to the 

 ovary, so that the free part of the calyx (the 3-lobed limb) 

 springs from the top of the ovary. Do not mistake the 

 ovary for a flower-stalk (pedicel). If you cut the apparent 

 pedicel across, you will find that it contains many ovules 



FIG. 32. Flower of Spotted Orchis. 



in three rows ; it is an inferior ovary, being adnate to the 

 calyx-tube. The corolla is formed of three unequal 

 petals, one, which, from a partial twist of the ovary, is 

 the lowest, being much larger than the upper pair and 

 furnished with a sp^^r. 



It is usual in flowers like this, in which the parts of 

 the calyx and corolla resemble each other in colour and 

 texture, as well as when a calyx only, or a corolla only, is 

 present, to speak of the envelopes of the flower collec- 

 tively as perianth, calling the parts of which it is made 

 up the leaves of the perianth. In this instance the peri- 

 anth is gamophylloiis and superior, since the leaves of the 

 perianth are connate and its tube is adnate to the ovary. 



There is but one stamen, of very anomalous structure, 

 reduced to a two-celled anther, standing immediately over 

 the opening of the spur. Under the minute knob-like 



