C Y P 



C Y R 



Diandr'ia, and ranks in the natural order of Or- 

 chidece. 



The characters are : that the calvx has vague 

 spathes: spadix simple: there is no perian- 

 thium : the corolla has four or five petals, lance- 

 olate-linear, very long, spreading, erect: nectary 

 within the lower petal, slipper-form, inflated, 

 obtuse, hollow, shorter than the petals, broader : 

 upper lip ovate, flat, inflex, small : the stamina 

 consist of two filaments, very short, seated 

 on the pistilhun: anthers erect, covered by the 

 upper lip of the nectary: the pistillum is a long, 

 twisted, inferior germ : style very short, grow- 

 ing to the upper lip of the nectary : stigma ob- 

 scure: thcpericarpium is anobovate capsule, ob- 

 tusely three-cornered; with three sutures, under 

 which it gapes in the corners, three-valved, one- 

 celled : the seeds are numerous, very small : re- 

 ceptacle linear, growing lengthways to each 

 valve of the pericarpium. 



The species are : 1 C. calceoliu, Common La- 

 dies' Slipper ; 2 C. bullosum, Bulbous Ladies' 

 Slipper ; 3 C. Japonicum, Japoncse Ladies' Slip- 

 per; 4 C. album, White Ladies' Slipper; 5. C. 

 acaule, Two-leaved Ladies' Slipper. 



The first has the root composed of many 

 fleshy black fibres, spreading obliquely near the 

 surface; the fleshy part retaining the mark of 

 the stalk produced the former year; a new root 

 being annually formed on the side of the old 

 one: the stalks two, three, or more, in propor- 

 tion to the strength of the root ; nine, ten, or 

 twelve inches high, and a little hairy : the leaves 

 are from three to near four inches long, and 

 near two inches broad at their base, of a deep 

 green, and ending in acute points. Four or five 

 of these leaves are placed alternately along the 

 stalk. In the bosom of the upper leaf is inclosed 

 the flower-bud, supported by a slender peduncle, 

 which generally turns a little on one side; and 

 before the flower opens advances above the 

 sheath. The corolla has four narrow petals, of 

 a dark purple colour, placed in form of a cross, 

 and spreading wide open. In the centre is situ- 

 ated the nectary, shaped like a wooden shoe, of 

 a pale yellow-colour, with a few broken streaks : 

 the opening is covered with two ears ; the upper 

 one tender, white, and spotted with purple ; the 

 lower thick, and of an herbaceous colour. It is 

 a native of Lapland, flowering in May. 



In the second species the root is a bulb, 

 throwing out a few thick fibres from its lower 

 part, and invested with a semi-transparent, acute, 

 erect membrane, rising far above its top : the 

 leaf is radical, solitary, petioled, oval, somewhat 

 pointed, entire, ribbed, smooth, dark green, 

 spotted with brown : the stalk is three inches high, 

 erect, round, one-flowered, invested with two 



tubular, membranous sheaths : bracte solitary, 

 not far from the flower, linear-lanceolate, acute, 

 purplish: the flower a little inclined. It is 

 native of Lapland, Sec. 



The third has a round, erect stem, villose, a 

 foot high : the leaves in the middle of the stem 

 two, embracing, acute, sinuate-waved, smooth, 

 a hand broad : below the flower is a sessile, soli- 

 tary, oblong, acute, entire leaflet, scarcely an 

 inch in length: the flower terminating, solitary, 

 the size of that of the common species. It is a 

 native of Japan, flowering in April and the fol- 

 lowing month. 



The fourth species has fibrous roots, with se- 

 veral upright stalks a foot high. The leaves are 

 ovate-lanceolate, cauline, and ribbed, placed al- 

 ternate, and embracing the stem, which has a 

 white flower at top: the large nectary is tinged 

 with purple. Martynobscrves, that there are few 

 flowers which to such singularity of structure 

 add such elegance and beauty. It is a native of 

 North America. 



The fifth has rarely more than two radical 

 leaves, and a very short flowering stem, in com- 

 parison with the others, but a large nectary in 

 proportion to the size of the plant, divided on its 

 upper part through its whole length, so as to 

 destroy, in a great degree, that shoe- or slipper- 

 like form from which this genus has its name. 

 It is a native of North America, and flowers in 

 March. 



Culture. — These plants are not easily preserved 

 in garden culture. They should remain where 

 they are planted, if they be designed to flower 

 as soon as possible, as they do not bear trans- 

 planting well, and are retarded in flowering 

 by it. 



The usual method of raising them, especially 

 in the first, fourth, and bulbous kinds, is, in the 

 former, by dividing their knotty, fibrous, creep- 

 ing roots, taking oil* the joints or side off-sets, 

 and planting them where they arc to remain, 

 immediately after the stems decay ; and in the 

 latter by off-sets from the roots planted at the 

 same time. 



But the best method is to procure the plants or 

 sets from the places where they crow natu- 

 rally. 



They succeed the most perfectly in a loamy 

 undunged soil, and where they have only the 

 morning sun. The English species answers best 

 in pots, when set in a sheltered situation. The 

 American kinds are rather tender, requiring shel- 

 ter in the winter season. 



These plants are highly curious and ornamental 

 in the shady parts of the clump s nd bordeof 

 pleasure-grounds. 



C YRTA.NTH US, a genus furnishing plants of 

 3 T 



