266 ORCHID ACE^E. 



ORCHIDACE/E. 



Character of the Order. Herbs with perfect, irregular flowers. Peri- 

 anth of 6 divisions, in 2 sets ; the three outer (sepals) commonly petaloid ; 

 of the three inner (petals) one is commonly more or less different in form 

 from the others, and is called the labellum or lip ; it is commonly directed 

 forward. In front of the lip is the column, composed of a single stamen, 

 or in Cypripedium, of two, with the rudiment of a third, coherent with, or 

 borne upon the thick fleshy style or stigma ; anther 2-celled, each cell con- 

 taining one or more masses of pollen. Stigma a broad glutinous surface, 

 except in Cypripedium. Ovary 1-celled, with innumerable ovules on 3 

 parietal placenta?. Fruit a 1-celled, 3-valved pod, with innumerable very 

 small seeds. 



Perennial herbs, with alternate leaves, often tuberous roots, and showy, 

 irregular, often singularly-shaped flowers. A very large order of chiefly 

 tropical plants^ The North American species are in general of little medi- 

 cinal importance. 



COR ALLORHIZ A. CoiiAL-RooT. 

 

 Corallorhiza odbntorhiza NuttalL Coml-Eoot. 



Description. Perianth somewhat ringent, obscurely spurred at the 

 base ; sepals and petals nearly alike, the upper arching ; lip entire or den- 

 ticulate, broadly ovate or obpvate, abruptly contracted at the base. An- 

 ther terminal ; pollen masses 4. Pod at first acute at the base, at length 

 oval. 



A light-brown or purplish plant, with scales instead of leaves, 6 to 16 

 inches high, with bulbous, coral-like roots, probably parasitic. Flowers 

 6 to 10, on slender pedicels, whitish, appearing from May to July. 



Habitat. In rich woods from New York to Michigan and southward. 



Part Used. The root not official. 



Constituents. Unknown. 



Preparations. Commonly employed in infusion. 



Medical Properties. Coral-root is said to be a prompt and efficient 

 diaphoretic. 



CYPRIPEDIUM. LADY'S SLIPPER. 



Cypripedium pubescens Willdenow. Yellow Lady's Slipper. 



Description. Calyx : sepals elongated-lanceolate, spreading, wavy, 

 brownish, 2 of them united into one piece below the lip. Corolla : lateral 

 petals elongated-lanceolate, brownish or yellowish-green, wavy or more com- 

 rnonty twisted ; lip slipper- or moccasin-shaped, much inflated, 1 to 2 inches 

 long, yellow without, spotted within with brown. Column declined, with 

 a fertile stamen on each side ; on the upper side is an abortive stamen in 



