OKCHIDACi:.*:. (OUCIHS FA.M1LV.) 41)7 



(ut.e of which adheres to the l-celled or 3-cellcd ocary\ stamens 3 and dis- 

 tinct, opposite the inner divisions of the perianth; capsule many-seeded^ the 

 seeds very minute. — A small, chieny tropical family. 



1. BURMANNIA, L. 



Ovary S-celleil, with the thick placeutiu iu the axis. Filaments 3, very short. 

 Style slender ; stigma capitate-a-lobed. Capsule often 3-\viugecI. (Named for 

 ./. Burmann, an early Dutch botanist.) 



1. B. biflora, L. Stem low and slender (2-4' high), 2 flowered at the 

 summit, or soon several-flowered ; periantli (2-3" long) bright blue, 3-winged. 

 — Peaty bogs, Va. to Fla. 



OuDKu 110. ORCHIDACEiE. (Oiicin.s Fa.mily.) 



Herbs, clearly distinguished by their perfect irreyular flowers, with Q-merous 

 perianth adnate to the l-celled ovary, with innumerable ovules on Z parietal 

 placentce, and with either one or two yynandrous stamens, the pollen cohering 

 in masses. Fruit a l-celled 3-valved capsule, with innumerable minute 

 seeds, appearing like fine saw-dust. Perianth of fi divisions in 2 sets ; the 

 3 outer {sepals) mostly of the same petal-like texture aiul appearance as 

 the 3 inner (petals). One of the inner set differs more or less in figure, 

 direction, etc., from the rest, and is called the lip ; only the other two tak- 

 ing the name of petals in the following descriptions. The Hp is really the 

 upj)er petal, i. e. the one next to the axis, but by a twist of the ovary of 

 half a turn it is more conunonly directed forward and brought next the 

 bract. Before the lip, in the axis of the flower, is the column, composed 

 of a single stamen, or in Cypripedium of two stamens and a rudiment 

 of a third, variously coherent Avith or borne on the style or thick fleshy 

 stigma ; anther 2-celled ; each cell containing one or more masses of pollen 

 (pollinia) or the pollen granular (in Cypripedium). Stigma a broad glu- 

 tinous surface, excej)t in Cypripedium. — Perenniuls, often tuber-bearing 

 or tuberous-rooted ; some epiphytes. Leaves parallel-nerved, all alternate. 

 Flowers often showy, commonly singular in shape, solitary, racemed, or 

 spiked, each subtended by a bract, — in all arranged for fertilization by 

 the aid of insects, very few capable of unaided self-fertilization. 



Tribe I. EPIDENDRE^E. Anther terminal, erect or inclined, operculate. Pollinia 

 smooth and wax)-, 4 or 8 (2 or 4 in each cell), distinct, or those in each cell (or all in n. 3 

 f.nd 7) united at base. {Pollinia 8 onlj* in n. 7 of our genera.) 



• Green-foliaged plants, from solid bulbs, with 1 or 2 leaves. 

 -4- Column very .short ; leaf solitary. 



1. Microstylis. Flowers racemose, minute, greenish. Petals filiform. 



-*- -t- Column elongated ; leaves radical. 

 ♦♦ Whole plant (except the flowers) green. 



2. lilparis. Leaves 2. Raceme few-flowered. Lip flat, entire. 



3. Calypso. Leaf solitary. Flower large, solitary. Liji saccate. 



■►+ -H- A single green autumnal leaf; otherwise mainly brownish or puri)lish. 



4. Tipularla. Raceme many-flowered ; flowers small, greenish ; lip 3-lobed. 



5. Aplectruin. Raceme loose ; flowers rather lai-ge ; Up 8-ridged. not spurred or saccate. 



32 



