428 Roots of terrestrial OrcJiidece. ' 



from the stem. Two or three are produced annually, and the old 

 ones decay. On rich calcareous soil, this orchis grows 2 ft. high; 

 and the flowers are large in proportion, and showy : the colours 

 are orange and purple. You will see a small starved specimen 

 of the flower, and specimens of the root, in No. 9. {Jig. 84. 9.) 

 To have this species flower in perfection, the roots should be 

 kept as entire as possible. Every bit of the root which is 

 broken off forms a plant; but it is some years before plants so 

 formed get large enough to produce flowers. 



The specimens marked No. 3. {fig. 84. 3. and *3.) belong to 

 two interesting genera of Orchideas. The knots on the roots are 

 somewhat analogous to the knots on the roots of Holcus avena- 

 ceus, and ought rather to be considered as reservoirs of nourish- 

 ment, to enable the plant to flower and perfect seeds, than as 

 true bulbs or buds. Young plants may be produced by divid- 

 ing the roots ; but they spring from the joints between the 

 swellings of the root. One of these swellings, or tubers, is pro- 

 duced annually, or more than one when the root becomes 

 forked, as it sometimes does; several stems and flowers are 

 frequently produced from the same root, the plant becoming 

 branched near the surface of the ground. 



Inj'^. 84. *3., a shows the bulb formed during the present 

 year ; b shows a part of the root broken off in taking it up ; and 

 c, a bulb formed the first or second year after the plant was 

 raised from seed. 



In planting the roots of these genera of Orchidese, they should 

 be put down as entire as possible. The roots, although they 

 may appear old and decayed, are not on that account to be 

 rejected. The large species I send you, No. 3. {fig. 84. *3.)j 

 has sometimes a flower 1 1 in. from tip to tip of the petals ; and 

 another species, with a yellow flower and dark purple lower lip, 

 grows nearly as large, and is a very beautiful plant. The spe- 

 cimen marked No. 4. {fig. 84. 4.) is one of the most curious 

 of sensitive plants. The lower lip, in which the anthers are 

 placed, is a boat-shaped box; the upper lip, which I suppose to 

 be the stigma, forms a lid which exactly fits it ; the hinge on 

 which the lid moves springs from the upper part of the flower, 

 and is attached to its centre ; and, when it opens, the upper part 

 turns round within the box, comes out at the bottom, turns up 

 and back; so that, when fully expanded, it stands fairly over the 

 flower. The moment a small insect touches the point of the lid, 

 it makes a sudden revolution, brings in the point of the lid at 

 the bottom of the box, so that it has to pass the anthers in its 

 way, and makes prisoner any small insect which the box will hold. 

 When it catches an insect, it remains shut while the insect con- 

 tinues to move about ; but, if the insect be not caught, the box 

 soon opens again. This plant is rare ; and where it does grow 



