THE ORCHID FAMILY. 97 



shorter and obtuse. Lip : three-lobecl, the middle one of which is reddisli, purple 

 and crested. Lem'cs : usually three ; from the base ; sheathed, linear-lanceolate ; 

 pointed at the apex and tapering at the base. Kootsiock : tuberous. 



This Ijletia, a curious enough litllc plant aiul the only representation of 

 its genus throu,:j;h our range is also strongly illustrative of one of the orchid's 

 peculiar traits. In all the species, as in the milkweeds, the pollen grains are 

 concentrated into tiny masses, called pollinia. Sometimes they are in pairs 

 of two or four, or again as in our present plant there are eight wa.xy masses. 

 Later these become powdery and are connected by most filmy, elastic tissues. 



TREE ORCHID. 



EpidcndruDi conopseiim. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Orchid. Puy/>iis/i grct'H. Sce/itiess. Florida to South Carolina. August. 



Flozvers : growing loosely on thread-like pedicels in a long raceme at the end of 

 a tall scape. Bracts: linear, pointed. Sepals: oblanceolaie; spreading; petals 

 similar, narrower. Lip: clawed; three-lobed ; the middle one notched at the 

 apex. Leaves: one to three, sheathed near the base of the scape; linear-lanceolate; 

 about two and a half inches long; thick. Roots : spreading; much branched. 



From the wild orchids that have already been mentioned this one is very 

 different, belonging as it does to the group which cling to the branches of 

 trees through their spreading and matted roots. On such notable individuals 

 of the south as the magnolias it loves best to grow, although tiear Jackson- 

 ville I saw it also, hanging from a great live oak by the river, and on which 

 the little thing had apparently found some difficulty in finding much bark 

 riot already monopolised by the long moss. 



E. venosu/n, which also grows on trees, is a much larger plant than its 

 relative ; its leaves being often eight inches long, and the flowering scape as 

 high as tw^o feet. Near its base the scales are very membraneous and in 

 colour ashy grey. 



THE LIZARD'S TAIL FAHILY. 



LIZARD'S TAIL. {J'/a/e XXX/V.) 

 Sent) it }- us en- /lit Its. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Lizard s tail. Crt\i)n-ivh ite. l-'ragraiit . llorida to Con ncttiiut .1/./r-. )«.<■/' >/•. 



along the coast, and ivt-stward. 



Fiirioers : minute; incomplete; growing densely in an axillary, curved s[iike, on 



