CLASS GYNANDRIA. 257 



LECTURE XXXVI. 



CLASS XVIII. GYNANDRIA. 



Fig. 122. WE shall now examine a class, in 



which an entirely new circumstance 

 from any yet considered, is regarded 

 as forming its essential character. This 

 circumstance is the situation of the sta- 

 mens upon the pistil, or the stamens 

 appearing to grow out of that organ. 

 In some cases the stamens appear to 

 proceed from the gerrn, in others, from 

 the style. There is sometimes diffi- 

 culty in deciding as to the number of 

 stamens, for they are not here, as in the other classes, dis- 

 tinct-organs, but in some cases mere collections of glutinous 

 pollen. 



Monandria 



The orders in this class, as in Monadelphia and Diadelphia, 

 depend on the number of stamens, or of those singular collec- 

 tions of pollen which are called stamens. The first order of the 

 18th class contains such plants as have butane stamen, oc two 

 masses of glutinous pollen, equal to one stamen ; this order is 

 divided into sections, which relate to the manner in which the 

 anther is attached to the style ; as, whether it is easily separa- 

 ted, whether the anther grows upon the top of the stigma, and 

 to the shape of the masses of pollen, which are called the anther. 

 The Orchis plants form an important part of the class Gynan- 

 dria ; most of these are perennial, and grow in moist and shady 

 places ; some of them are parasites, adhering to the bark of 

 trees by their fleshy fibrous roots. The roots sometimes con- 

 sist of two solid bulbs, in other cases, they are o'blong, fleshy 

 substances, tapering towards the ends, like the fingers of the 

 hand. These plants are in the family ORCHIDE.E, so called 

 from Orchis, a name derived from a Greek word, signifying 

 an olive-berry, on account of the root being round, like that 

 fruit. The Orchis family is not, however, confined to this one 

 genus, but includes the ARETHUSA and several other genera. 

 The distinguishing characters of this natural family are a co- 

 roll^ above the germ, 5 petals, 3 external and 2 internal. 

 There is also in each corolla a petal-like organ, called the, lip, 

 which varies in form and direction, anthers always 1 or 2, and 



Class Gynandria Orders Orchiclese -Distinguishing characters of this 

 family. 



22* 



