424 MINNESOTA BOTANICAL STUDIES. 



ber usually erect, the inferior sepals frequently, perfectly or 

 imperfectly united into one. Petals three in number, the paired 

 members being free, narrower or broader than the sepals and 

 generally extended. Labellum or third petal, inflated saccate, 

 or egg-shaped, slightly pendulous, somewhat different in color 

 from the other petals, with an auricular orifice formed by the 

 inflection of the edges of the labellum on its horizontal surface. 

 Sterile stamen or staminodium, leaflike, membranous, or trulli- 

 form, often modelled, partially closing the orifice of the lip; 

 the single representative of the outer whorl of stamens as com- 

 pared with the Liliaceae, answers to the fertile stamen of other 

 Orchids. Column short, thick, terete, recurved, the geniculate 

 portion shielded by the staminodium, which is attached to the 

 column. Stigma, moist, roughish, leathery, broad, more or 

 less distinctly tri-lobed, parallel to the base of the labellum 

 through the curvature of the column. Two fertile stamens, 

 oblique, anterior members of the inner whorl, adnate to the 

 column, one on each side. Anthers, bilocular, on short, strongly 

 introrse filaments, upon dehiscence exposing the pollen in vis- 

 cid masses. Ovary, long, inferior, arcuate, unilocular with 

 parietal placentae. Ovules, numerous, anatropous, minute, 

 fusiform, without endosperm, the testa or seed-coat thin and 

 membranous. 



Representatives are found in the forest areas, swamps, and 

 bogs and occasionally on high, dry ground. 



The rhizomes of two American species, Cypripedium hirsu- 

 tum Mill, and Cypripedium parviflorum Salisb are probably 

 collected b3^ the ' ' cracker class " and by Indians, since they 

 collect many of the other roots which .are used for medicinal 

 purposes. 



"The rhizomes vary in length from ten to fifty centimeters, 

 are brittle, light brown in color and show a short, white frac- 

 ture when broken."'® The odor is faint and heavy, while the 

 rhizome of CjqDripedium arietinum R. Br.,** an American and 

 Asiatic form, is said to afford a musky smell. 



The jDrincipal constituents found in the rhizomes of the two 

 first named species are oil, resin and tannin. The drug, when 

 manufactured in the form of powder, infusion or extract is 

 somewhat sweetish, bitter and pungent, temporarily exciting 

 and increases the vital action of the patient. It is also used to 

 allay spasms. ^ 



(3) Mauseh, J. M. Man. Org. Mat. Med. 124. 1885. 



(4) Baldwin. Orchids of N. E. Fig. 8. 1884. 



i5) Wright. J. S. Guide to Org. Drugs of D, S. Pharmacop. 27. 1890. 



