ORCHIDEOUS TRIBE 273 



The characters by which the families of this Order are dis- 

 tinguished are, owing to the curious structure of the flowers com- 

 prised in it, so peculiar, that they require to be attentively studied 

 by reference to fresh specimens before any description of them can 

 be understood. It has been thought necessary, therefore, in the 

 case of the Orchideous Tribe, to depart from the method pursued 

 in other parts of this work, and, instead of perplexing the student 

 with a systematic detail of generic characters, to describe such 

 species as are of common occurrence, attention being paid only 

 to their more obvious characters. The student will thus be enabled 

 to ascertain the names of most, if not all, of the species which are 

 likely to excite his attention. He may then examine them with 

 accuracy, and when he has made himself acquainted with their 

 structure and peculiarities, he will be in a position to compart 

 whatever new species may fall in his way with the descriptions 

 given in works of higher pretention. 



Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchis). A succulent plant, 

 about a foot high, flowering in May and June, and abounding in 

 woods and pastures wherever the Wild Hyacinth flourishes. The 

 root consists of two roundish solid tubers ; the leaves are of a 

 liliaceous texture, stained with dark purple spots, oblong, and 

 clasping the stem ; the stem is solitary, and bears an erect cluster 

 of purple flowers, mottled with lighter and darker shades ; each 

 flower rises from a somewhat twisted ovary, and has a long spur, 

 which turns upwards. The colour of the flower, associated as it 

 often is with Cowslips and Wild Hyacinths, is rich and beautiful, 

 but the odour is strong and offensive, especially in the evening. 



0. Morio (Green- winged Meadow Orchis). Comes into flower 

 about the same time with the last, and resembles it in habit. It 

 is, however, a shorter plant, and bears fewer flowers in a cluster ; 

 it is best distinguished by the two lateral sepals, which are strongly 

 marked with parallel green veins, and bent upwards, so as to form 

 a kind of hood over the column. It grows in meadows, and is 

 often very abundant. 



Orchis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchis). Grows about a foot 

 high, has narrow, pointed leaves, and bears at the summit of its 

 somewhat slender stem a dense cluster, broad at the base and taper- 

 ing to a point, of small, deep rose-coloured flowers, which are re 

 markable for the length and slenderness of the spur. It usually 

 grows on chalk or limestone, and flowers in July. 



Orchis maculata (Spotted Orchis) may be distinguished from 

 either of the preceding by its root, which consists of two flattened 

 tubers, divided at the extremity into several finger-like lobes. Its 

 leaves are spotted like those of 0. mascula, and its flowers are light 

 purple, curiously marked with dark lines and spots. It grows 

 abundantly on heaths and commons, flowering in June and July. 



