2G6 OKCIIIDACE^. 



Vrt HIOACE^. 



Character of the Order. — Hcrhs v/it'i perfect, iiTegiilar flowers. Peri- 

 anth of (5 divisions, in 2 sets ; the th" e outer (sepals) commonly petaloid ; 

 of the three inner (petals) one is commonly more or less ditt'erent in form 

 from the others, and is called the Inlyellam. Dr lip ; it is commonly directed 

 fonvard. Tn fiont of the lip is the column, composed of a single stamen, 

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

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

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

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

 parif ial placentiS. Fruit a 1-cclled, 3-valved jiod, 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 chiotly 

 tropical plants. The North American species are in genei'al of little medi- 

 cinal importance. 



CORAl-LORIIIZA.— CoKAL-RooT. 



Corallorhiza odontorhiza Nuttall. — Coral-Root. 



Da^cripfio)!. — Pei-iajith somewhat ringent, obscurely spurred nt '^n 

 base ; sepnls ii'id petals nearly alike, the upper arching ; lip entire or ..ni- 

 ticulate, 1 oadly ovate or obovate, abruptly contracted at the base. A.1- 

 ther termii 1 ; pollen masses 4. Pod at first acute at the base, at len/dii 

 oval. 



Alight-brown or purplish plant, with scales instead of IcavciS, to "'« 

 inches high, with bulbous, coral-like I'oots, probably parasitic. Flowors 

 6 to 10, on slender pedicels, whitish, ajipearuig from ]\Iay to July. 



Habitat. — In rich woods from New York to Michigan and southwai'd. 



Fart UxeiL — The root — not official. 



Constituents. — Unknown. 



Preparations. — Commonly employed in infusion. 



3[edical Froperlies. — Coral-root is said to be a prompt oud efficient 

 diaphoretic. 



CYPRIPEDIUM.— L.VDY's SLirPER. 



Cypripedium pubescens Willdenow.— FiiZ/v rnrJj/s ,%'pper. 



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

 brow'nish, 2 of them united into one piece below tlie Up. Corolla : lateral 

 petals elongated-lanceolate, brownish or yellowiHli-gi-eon, wavy or more com- 

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

 long, yellow Avithout, spotted within with lirown. Column declined, with 

 a fertile stamen on each side ; on the upper side is an abortive stamen iu 



