UNN/EAN NATURAL SYSTEM. 177 



ORDER V. TRIPETALOIDES. 



G. The plants of this order have flowers with three 

 petals only, and are nearly allied to the grasses, but 

 possess no very striking characters. Juncus, calamus, 

 alisma, butomus, and so on. 



ORDER VI. ENSAT^. 



7, The plants in this order usually having sword- 

 shaped leaves, are naturally called sword-leaved plants, 

 and their order established on that circumstance. Iris 

 or flower-de-luce, eriocaulon or pipewort, sisyrinchium, 

 and others. 



The calyx is a kind of spurious spathe; corolla usually of six 

 petals; seed vessel a capsule of three cells and three valves, with 

 many seeds, generally inferior. 



ORDER VII. ORCHIDEiE. 



8. The plants of this order are of the orchis-tribe, 

 forming a peculiar selection of vegetables. 



Their roots are generally tuberous and fleshy; stem solitary and 

 herbaceous ; leaves simple, alternate, undivided, sheathing the stem. 

 Inflorescence, terminal, either spiked or racemose ; fructification 

 irregular and very singular j corolla of five petals with a sixth or 

 nectary; stamens consist of two anthers, nearly without filaments, 

 very singular, and peculiar to this order, concealed in a double pouch 

 or hood ; germen inferior ; style short ; the fruit a capsule of one 

 cell and three valves ; seeds, numerous. 



ORDER VIII. SCITAMINEJE. 



9. The name of this order is an ancient word synoni- 



