86 REMARKABLE FLOWERS. [CHAP. 



part of this old herbalist's opinion be true or not. we 

 cannot say, but certain it is that the bees are very 

 fond of another species the Bee Orchis (Ophrys 

 apifera) whose flowers equally well mimic the bee. 

 Two other species (O. aranifera and O. arachnites) 

 resemble spiders. A North American species is called 

 the Crane-fly Orchis, from a supposed resemblance 

 of the flower to that insect; whilst a British species 

 (Peristylns viridis) is called the Frog Orchis, though 

 we have failed to find any resemblance to justify the 

 connection. 



All these native species of Orchids grow on, or 

 in, the earth like most other respectably conducted 

 plants, but some of their tropical relatives take to 

 climbing trees and growing from the branches, with- 

 out any visible means of existence. Some species 

 of Odontoglossum are of this habit, though they are 

 chiefly remarkable for the magnificent beauty and 

 large size of their flowers. One species (O. grande\ 

 a native of Guatemala, bears flowers six inches across ; 

 the petals long and spreading, of a yellow colour, 

 beautifully marked with blotches and bands of brown. 

 Another species (O. tigrimitn] has the flowers spotted 

 with purple-brown, and strongly perfumed with the 

 odour of Violets. A nearly related genus (Oncidiutit) 

 consists of over two hundred species, all of them con- 

 fined to tropical America, though some cannot pro- 

 perly be considered as tropical species, seeing that 

 they grow at immense altitudes, where the tempera- 

 ture is very low. Thus Oncidium Warczewiczii, a 

 native of Costa Rica, grows on oaks at an elevation 

 of from 8,000 to 10,000 feet, and has been found to 



