46 A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 



135. ORCHIDS OR ORCHID FAMILY. ORCHID- 

 AC EAE. 



(Nos. 136-185.) 



A large family of plants best developed in the tropics but 

 found here in considerable numbers. Leaves various as to 

 shape, always without teeth and sheathing at the base (re- 

 duced to tiny scales in the coral-roots, No. 136 and in one 

 species of Ladies'-tresses No. 151). lowers solitary or in 

 clusters, always irregular and unsymmetrical, composed of 6 

 segments, the 3 outer similar or nearly so, the inner ones with 

 usually 2 alike, the third inner one (lip) dissimilar and 

 spurred or otherwise unlike the other inner segments. Fruit 

 a 3-valved pod. About 60 species are known here of which 

 the following are the commonest. 



Leaves present at flowering time, reduced to tiny scales, the 

 plant thus appearing leafless ; parasitic orchids with the stems 



not green Coral-roots no. 136 



Leaves well developed, present or absent at flowering time ; stems, 

 if any, usually green 



Leaves apparently or actually absent at flowering time 

 Flowers in terminal clusters 

 Flowers green, tinged with purple Cane-fly orchids no, 137 



Flowers yellowish-brown Putty-root no. 138 



Flowers mostly solitary, rose-purple Arethusa no. 139 



• Leaves present at flowering time (reduced and almost scale- 

 like in I species of ladies' tresses no. 151) 



Flower like an inflated sac Ladies' slippers no. 140 



Flowers not inflated 

 Leaves mostly borne on the stem, few or none of them 

 basal, (but basal in i species of Adder's-mouth, (See 



no. 172) no. 162 



Leaves mostly all basal, a few sometimes borne on the 

 lower part of the stem (There is i basal-leaved 



Adder's-mouth, no. 172) 



Leaves with the margins parallel, or nearly so, several 

 times longer than broad 



Flowers rose-purple Grass-pink no. 146 



Flowers not rose-purple 



Leaf solitary ; flowers greenish-yellow 



Bog orchis, no. 147 



