THE ORCHID FAMILY 127 



Thelymitra longifolia (The Long-leaved Thelymitra). 



A variable plant. Leaves in.-lin. broad, leathery. Spike 2-10 flowered. 

 Flowers ^ in.-| in. broad, blue or purple. Both islands abundant. 



Thelymitra pulchella (The Pretty Thelymitra) is a large-flowered species ; 

 T. Colensoi (Colenso's Thelymifcra) and T. imberbis (The Beardless Thelymitra) 

 have yellow flowers. 



Genus OrtJwceras. 



Erect, glabrous herbs, 10in.-12in. high, with tuberous roots, and radical, 

 grassy leaves. Upper sepal hooded ; lateral sepals lengthened into long tails, 

 erect. Pollen masses 2. (Name from the Greek, signifying a straight horn). 1 sp. 



Orthoceras So I and ri (Solander's Orthoceras). 



Leaves very narrow, with sheathing bases. Flower-spike 2in.-6in. long. 

 Bracts large, boat-shaped, greenish-brown. Flower Jin. long, livid purple. 

 Lateral sepals ^m.-ljin. long. Lip drooping, with yellow stripe. Abundant on 

 clay hills in the North Island. Also found in Nelson. 



Piperaceae. 



THE PEPPER FAMILY. 



Distribution. The pepper plants are mostly natives of tropical or sub- 

 tropical regions. The structure of the wood is anomalous, but it is too 

 complicated for description here. The Piperaceae are noted for their pungent 

 leaves. Piper nigrum, the pepper-vine, produces our table pepper. This plant 

 bears spikes of red fruits, which, when dried by heat, become black and shrivelled. 

 These are known as peppercorns, and are ground into powder, forming 

 Black Pepper. White Pepper is obtained from the same fruit macerated in 

 water. The Kawa of the South Sea Islands is a member of this family, and is 

 closely related to the New Zealand Piper excelsum. 



Genus Peperomia. 



A large genus of 400 species, with two representatives in New Zealand. 

 Stems and leaves fleshy, bright green. Flowers in erect catkins. Stamens 2. 

 Ovary sessile ; stigma sessile ; berry sessile. (Name from its affinity to the 

 Pepper). 



