ORCHIDEOUS TRIBE. 583 



in form as to defy general description, yet so peculiar 

 that the slightest experience will enable the student to 

 refer them to their proper tribe. British species have for 

 the most part two or more glossy sheathing leaves, and 

 bear their flowers in simple spikes or clusters. The 

 colour of the flowers is purple, mottled with various 

 other tints, flesh-coloured, white, or greenish. The 

 structure of the lower lip of the corolla is in many 

 cases most singular; sometimes resembling in form, 

 size, and colour insects which naturally frequent the 

 places where the flowers grow ; such are the Bee, Fly, 

 and Spider Orchis (Ophrys apifera, 0. muscifera, and 

 0. aranifera). In other instances the same organ presents 

 a fantastic caricature of some more important subject 

 of the animal kingdom ; such are the Man, and Monkey 

 Orchis (Acer as anthropophora, and Orchis macro). The 

 same mimicking extends to foreign species: "So 

 various are they in form/' says Dr. Lindley, "that there 

 is scarcely a common reptile or insect to which some 

 of them have not been likened." Occasionally the 

 structure is more complex : in Caledna nigrita the 

 column is a boat-shaped box, resembling a lower lip ; 

 the lip itself forms a lid that exactly fits it, and is 

 hinged on a claw, which reaches the middle of the 

 column ; when the flower opens, the lip turns round 

 within the column and falls back, so that the flower 

 being inverted, it stands fairly over the latter. The 

 moment a small insect touches its point, the lip makes 

 a sudden revolution, brings the point to the bottom of 

 the column, and makes prisoner any insect which the 

 box will hold. When it catches an insect, it remains 

 shut as long as its prey continues to move about ; but 

 if no capture is made, the lid soon recovers its position. 

 The rusty flowers of Spiculcea cilidta, when spread open, 

 may be compared to long-legged spiders, the lip, with a 

 long solid plate, looking like their body, while an 

 appendage at its point, which is apparently moveable, 

 is not unlike the head of such a creature. Orchideous 



