500 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Opliiog-lossum continued. 



O. lusitanicum (Portuguese). Rootstock slightly tuberous. 

 fronds lin. to Sin. long, the sterile division placed below the 

 centre, iin. to lin. long, about iin. broad, linear-lanceolate, the 

 point bluntish, the base narrowed, fertile spike iin. to iin. long ; 

 peduncle firm, iin. to l|in. long when mature. Mediterranean 

 region, &c., 1816. Hardy. 



O. palmatum (Palm-like), sti. 6in. to 12in. long, fleshy, flaccid. 

 fronds like the letter V, 6in. to 12in. long, 4in. to Sin. broad, more 

 or less cut from the circumference towards the centre into deep, 

 blunt lobes, fertile spikes two to twelve, lin. to 2in. long, arising 

 from the stem or edge on the lower part of the frond, on short, 

 nodding or spreading peduncles. Cuba, &c. Stove. 



O. pendulum (pendulous), fronds pendulous, ribbon-like, with- 

 out a distinct stem, 1ft. to 15ft. long, lin. to Sin. broad, simple 

 or forked, fertile spike usually low down, 2in. to 6in. long, on a 

 peduncle shorter than itself, usually solitary. Polynesian Isles, 

 &c. Stove. (H. G. F. 33.) 0. furcatum is probably a variety of 

 this species. 



O. reticulatuxn (netted). Rootstock not tuberous, fronds 6in. to 

 12in. long, the sterile division placed about the middle, 2in. to 

 Sin. long, 14in. to 2in. broad, with a distinct haft and distinctly 

 cordate basal lobes ; veins distinct, fertile svike lin. or more 

 long, on a slender peduncle 2in. to 4in. long, much overtopping 

 the sterile segment. Tropical America, 1793. Stove. 



O. scandens (climbing). A synonym of Lygodium scandens. 



O. VUlgatum (common). Common Adder's Tongue. Rootstock not 

 tuberous, fronds 6in. to 9in. long, the sterile division generally 

 placed about the middle, 2in. to 4in. long, jin. to 2in. broad, 

 ovate or ovate-oblong, without a distinct haft, fertile spike lin. 

 or more long, upon a peduncle 2in. to 4in. long, and considerably 

 overtopping the sterile division when the plant is fully mature. 

 Britain, &c. See Fig. 746. 



FIG. 747. OPHIOGLOSSUM VULGATUM AMBIGUUM. 



O. V. ambignnm (ambiguous). A smaller form, with linear- 

 oblong blade, and a spike lin. to 2in. in length. Orkney, Wales 

 &c. See Fig. 747. 



O. v. pedunculosum (pedunculose). fronds, barren division like 

 that of the type in form and size, but thinner in texture, and 

 with a distinct haft. India, &c. Stove. 



OPHIOPOOON (from ophis, a serpent, and pogon, 

 a beard; a translation of the native Japanese name). 

 Snake's Beard. SYNS. Chloopsis, Flueggia (sometimes 

 spelt Fluggea), Slateria. ORD. Hcemodoracece. A small 

 genus (four species) of hardy or half-hardy, perennial 

 herbs, found in the East Indies and Eastern Asia as far 

 as Japan. Flowers numerous, simply racemose ; perianth 

 white, or tinged with lilac, the tube obconical and adnate 

 to the ovary ; segments six ; pedicels articulated, often 

 aggregated. Leaves usually sessile, linear. The species 

 are interesting and curious rather than pretty. They 

 thrive best in a sandy soil. Propagated by divisions, in 

 spring. 



O. Jaburan (Jaburan). fl., perianth white, or tinged with lilac ; 

 raceme sub-secund, rather dense, Sin. to 6in. long ; scape 6in. 

 to 2ft. long. July. I. lift, to 3ft. long, iin. broad, sometimes 



Ophiopogon continued. 



variegated with white. Japan, 1830. Habit similar to 0. japo- 



niaus, but more robust. (L. B. C. 1826.) 

 O. J. variegatus (variegated).* fl. deep violet-blue, freely pro- 



duced in dense spikes. Berries deep blue, about the size of 



currants. I. linear-lanceolate, striped with green and creamy- 



white. Japan, 1863. 

 O. japonicus (Japanese).* fl., perianth white ; raceme loose, few- 



flowered, sub-secund, 2in. to Sin. lo 



naked, angular. June. I. radical, erect, narrow-linear, nearly, 

 or quite, lit. long, 



long ; scape 2in. to 4in. long, 

 . . l, erect, narrow-linear, nearly 



about iin. broad. Japan, 1784. (B. M. 1063.) 

 O. j. intermedius (intermediate).*^, lilac, small, numerous; 

 raceme loose, 2in. to 5in. long. Late summer and autumn. 

 I. linear, Jin. broad. A, lift. China, &c., 1821. SYN. 0. 

 spicatus (of Don). The form known as argenteo-marginatus has 

 its leaves edged with white; the flowers also are pure white. 

 O. spicatus (spike-flowered), of Don. A synonym of 0. ja- 



ponicus intermedius. 



O. spicatus (spike-flowered), of Ker. A synonym of Liriope 

 (jraminifolia. 



OFHIOXYLON. Included under Rauwolfia (which 

 see). 



OPHRYS (an old Greek name used by Pliny, from 

 opJirys, eyebrows ; referring, perhaps, to the fringe of 

 the inner sepals, though Pliny refers it rather to the 

 use of the plant in painting the eyebrows). SYN. Arach- 

 nites. ORD. Orchidece. A confused genus of very 

 pretty, terrestrial, hardy or nearly hardy, Orchids, allied 

 to Orchis, but (except in one species) without any spur, 

 and the lip is usually very convex. Upwards of thirty 

 species have been enumerated; they are natives of 

 Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. Sepals sub- 

 equal, free, often concave, spreading ; petals two, narrow- 

 oblong. entire. The species generally thrive best in a 

 sandy, chalky loam. 0. apifera, and the other British 

 species, are suitable for the rock-garden; the rest are 

 best grown in a cold frame. All may be propagated by 

 divisions of the tuberous roots; but most of the species 

 increase very slowly, or scarcely at all, under cultivation. 

 The species best known to gardens are those here 

 described. 



O. 



bearing).* Bee Orchis, fl. with greenish petals 



i ; lip as long as the sepals, with reflexed 

 marginal lobes, the terminal one subulate, the rest hairy above ; 



spike few-flowered. April. I. few, glauc< 

 high. Europe (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 1467.) 



cous. Stem about 1ft. 



O. arachnites (cobwebby). This species differs principally from 

 0. apifera in the sub-deltoid, ovate petals, in the lip being longer 

 than the sepals, and in the straight or incurved appendage. 

 Europe (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 1468.) 



O. aranifera (spider-bearing). Spider Orchis, fl.. with green 

 sepals and petals; lip dark brown, as long as the sepals, with 

 roundish, hairy, reflexed, marginal lobes; spike few-flowered. 

 April. Stem about 6in. high. Europe (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 1469.) 



O. bomfoilifera (bee-bearing). Humble-bee Orchis, fl., sepals 

 green ; petals recurved ; lip deeply trilobed, the central lobe 

 chocolate-brown, sub-globular, the lateral ones conical, and pro- 

 longed below ; anther red, obtuse, bent backwards. I. small, 

 oblong-lanceolate. Mentone, &c. (Fl. Ment. 72.) 



O. lutea (yellow).* fl. Jin. to lin. in diameter ; sepals oblong, 

 obtuse, incurved, green ; petals much smaller, yellow or yellow- 

 green ; lip nearly quadrate, golden-yellow, with a purple disk 

 and a contracted base, convex, three-lobed towards the tip ; scape 

 4in. to 7in. high, stout, many-flowered. I. spreading, linear- 

 oblong, Hin. to 2Jin. long. South Europe. SYN. 0. vespifera. 



FIG. 748. FLOWER OF OPHRYS MUSCIFERA 



O. muscifera (fly-bearing). Fly Orchis, fl. with green sepals 

 linear petals ; lip twice the length of the sepals, 



Fly Orchis. /. 



and dark red linear petals ; lip twice th 



with four expanded lobes, somewhat downy, and having a pale 

 blue spot in the middle ; spike slender, about six-flowered. June. 

 Europe (Britain). See Fig. 748. (Sy. En. B. 1471.) 

 O. Speculum (looking-glass).* fl. greenish ; lip quadrate-oblong, 

 convex; the disk steel-blue, edged with gold, and the whole 



