ORCHID 



and stigmas. The trumpet form of the lip is character 

 istic of many of the most beautiful South American 

 Orchids, as Sobralia, Lselia, Cattleya, etc. In other 

 genera the labellum is variously modified. Sometimes 

 it is small and petal-like, sometimes greatly expanded, 

 forming the most conspicuous part of the flower ( 0»- 

 cidium tigritnt m ,OiloHtoijIossuin Londeshoniuijhianum). 



In other instances it is almost indescribably transformed 

 (Stanhopea, Gongora). 



In nearly all cases the labellum is provided with raised 

 lines, crests, and markings (or guiding the insects. In 

 many genera the ba.se is produced into a sac or spur, 

 which secretes honey, or whose walls contain juices 

 which are sought by insects. In the curious Madagascar 

 Orchid, Angrwctim sesquipedale, the .spur attains the 

 astonishing length of 10 or 11 inches (Fig. 1564). 



T}\e hahit of Orchid plants is almost as varied as that 

 of the flowers themselves. It is dependent upon the 

 mode of life of the plants, which, in this respect, may 

 be divided into three classes, — saprophytes, epiphytes, 

 and terrestrial Orchids. True parasites are not known 

 to occur in this family. 



The saprophytic Orchids are the most reduced forms, 

 devoid of chlorophyll, and depending for their carbon 

 food upon the organic matter of the humus in which 

 they grow. The subterranean stem or rhizome consists 

 of a much-knotted coral-like mass which takes the place 

 of roots. In most species the rhizome has been found 



ORCHID 



to be invested with a fungus by means of i 

 matter of the humus is absorbed ami ir;ti 

 compounds available to the i.hmi. I ],, m 



a brownish or yellowish stem I 



simple terminal inflorescem-r. I ■ i: 

 plants arc successfully culti^ nir.l , ,,- n 



1161 



rth American Corallorhizas. 

 liids exhibit the most varied forms. 

 MS of trees, dead trunks, and often 

 ."sed places. They grow, without 

 il "i- siihtropical countries where a 

 iiit:i\ I ralile to growth. As a result 

 li\.l,.|„cl special food reservoirs, 

 am:,- , i„h season's growth. In this 



'"' './•/■'.-'/■"./ N/'r .,,, UM'lii, I. - !■. : .i-:.-est and 



the i)[-.-l.iils ,,t' ill.' I. In]. .[.(I. Ill ■ ' 1 1:., (,)rchis, 



etc.). .Manv ..f tii.-se are .inii.1,1. iit.il . ■. i , i .Ali.-nnotin 

 flower. The siiecies of Sobralia are noted f.,r their tall. 

 reed like stems well clothed with graceful foliage. In 

 the tropics they often form dense thickets from 6-12 ft. 

 in height. M.ist of the species of Selenipedium also 

 have luxuriant fi.liage, which is attractive at all times. 



F''li,n/, PI, n,l!^. -The Physurece, a small group of 

 Ori-l.i.ls .listril.ut.-.l in tropical Asia and the Malay 



sums, AuaTt.,ehllusi. 

 The plants themselves 

 are usually small, with 

 the habit of Goodyera, a 

 North American repre- 

 sentative of the group. 

 Variegated or mottled 

 leaves occur also in 

 some otuer groups (Cy- 

 pripedium, Phalienopsis. 

 and Oncidium). 



JTIstorieal Sketch. - 

 Species of Orchids have 

 been klin^ii t.. b..tanist^ 

 th. hi-f 1.1 lilts w, 1, int,,„ 



In 17.1 /;Ut:., ,.,.,unda was 



r iM .1 m Fii.'i 111.1 from the 



West In.h.-s In I7>-!I Commo- 

 dore Gardner sent plants of £/)i- 

 dendrum fragrans from the 

 woods of Jamaica. One of 

 these flowered two vears after 

 and was the fir-t * >r' hi.) ti'^iired 

 in the "B..f n ' M ■ .i,. ," 

 plate 152. i- / 

 Phmus g,a, I ..„ 



introduced nm. ^i .. I.. t..re 

 and the Vanilla nas als,.kn..Kn 

 in English conservatories. In 

 1807 Martyn"s edition of Mil- 

 ler's "Gardeners' Dictionarv" 

 enumerated 124 Orchids. 



At first the wants of these 

 plants were little understood, 

 and many perished from irra- 

 tional treatment. But as more species were introduced 

 and their natural climatic conditions became better 

 known the plants were treated in accordance with their 

 requirements. 



Angrcecum 

 sesquipedale. 

 To show very 



loDg spur. 

 (XM.) 



