266 OECHIDACE^. 



ORCHIDACE/E. 



Character of the Order. — Herbs with perfect, irregular flowers. Peri- 

 anth of 6 divisions, in 2 sets ; the three outer (sepals) commonly petaloid ; 

 of the three inner (petals) one is commonly more or less different in form 

 from the others, and is called the labellum or lip ; it is commonly directed 

 forward. In front of the lip is the column, composed of a single stamen, 

 or in Cypripedium, of two, with the rudiment of a third, coherent with, or 

 borne upon the thick fleshy style or stigma ; anther 2-celled, each cell con- 

 taining one or more masses of pollen. Stigma a broad glutinous surface, 

 except in Cypripedium. Ovary 1-celled, with innumerable ovules on 3 

 parietal placenta3. Fruit a 1-celled, 3-valved pod, with innumerable very 

 small seeds. 



Perennial herbs, with alternate leaves, often tuberous roots, and showy, 

 irregular, often singularly-shaped flowers. A very large order of chiefly 

 tropical plants. The North American species are in general of little medi- 

 cinal importance. 



COR ALLORHIZ A. — CoRAL-RooT. 



Corallorhiza odontorhiza Nuttall. — Coral-Root. 



Description. — Perianth somewhat ringent, obscurely spurred at the 

 base ; sepals and petals nearly aUke, the upper arching ; lip entire or den- 

 ticulate, broadly ovate or obovate, abruptly contracted at the base. An- 

 ther terminal ; pollen masses 4. Pod at first acute at the base, at length 

 oval. 



A light-brown or purplish plant, with scales instead of leaves, 6 to 16 

 inches high, with bulbous, coral-like roots, probably parasitic. Flowers 

 6 to 10, on slender pedicels, whitish, appearing from May to Jvily. 



Habitat. — In rich woods from New York to Michigan and southward. 



Fart Used. — The root — not official. 



Constituents. — Unknown. 



PreiDarations. — Commonly employed in infusion. 



Medical Properties. — Coral-root is said to be a prompt and efficient 

 diaphoretic. 



CYPRIPEDIUM.— Lady's Slipper. 



Cypripedium pubescens Willdenow.— Fe?/o2o Ladi/s Slipper. 



Description. — Calyx : sepals elongated-lanceolate, spreading, wavy, 

 brownish, 2 of them united into one piece below the lip. Corolla : lateral 

 petals elongated-lanceolate, brownish or yellowish-gi*een, wavy or more com- 

 monly twisted ; lip slipper- or moccasin-shaped, much inflated, 1 to 2 inches 

 long, yellow without, spotted within with brown. Column declined, with 

 a fertile stamen on each side ; on the ujDper side is an abortive stamen in 



