i 3 4 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



seed-vessel a 3-valved capsule. A very large order, be- 

 longing to nearly all climates, but most abundant in the 

 Tropics. 



i. ORCHIS, L. 



Root composed of globose, ovoid, or palmate tubers ; 

 leaves chiefly radical, sheathing ; flowers in a usually dense 

 spike; corolla spurred, with a decurved or deflexed lip 

 (labellum) ; pollen-masses falling forwards after removal ; 

 a projecting rostellum beneath the anther-lobes ; ovary 

 generally twisted. 



A. Lobes of labellum not coiled spirally; sepals and 

 lateral petals connivent into a hood: <9. ustulata, L., 

 Dark-winged Orchis ; stem 3-6 in., flowers small (J in.), 

 lip white with dark purple spots, hood black-purple, lip 

 3-cleft for half its length, spike elongated, cylindrical; 

 pastures, chiefly calcareous ; Switzerland, Jura, Pyrenees. 

 O. tridentata, Scop. ; resembling ustulata, but flowers 

 larger, lip pale lilac spotted with red, spur longer; 

 Ticino. O. coriophora, L. ; spike dense, cylindrical, 

 sepals and lateral petals acuminate, hood reddish-brown, 

 lip reddish with purple dots ; meadows, local. O. globosa, 

 L. (PI. 107); spike dense, hemispherical, flowers pink, 

 lip with darker dots, sepals and lateral petals ending 

 in a broad spathulate point, stem 8- 1 8 in., leafy, tuber 

 undivided; meadows, frequent. O. Morio, L., Green- 

 winged Orchis ; spike lax, flowers pink with green veins, 

 sepals and petals obtuse, lip spotted, spur nearly straight; 

 meadows, common. O. purpurea, Huds. (fusca, Jacq.) ; 

 stem 1-3 ft., spike dense, flowers large (f in.), sepals and 

 petals green-purple outside, spotted inside, lip spotted 

 with purple, spur short; thickets, occasional. O. mili- 



