ORCIIIDACEiE. 87 



A herb with ovoid or subglobular root-fibres, only dififering from 

 Orchis in the want of a spur to the labellum. 



The derivation of the name of this genus is tlius given— from a, not, and ttipa^, a 

 horn ; because the flovcers have no spur. 



SPECIES I.— ACER AS AN THROPOPHORA. B.Br. 



Plate MCCCCXLVn. 



Bekh. Ic. n. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XIII. Tab. CCCLVIL 



BiUot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 3240. 



Ophrys anthropophora, Linn. Sm. Engl. Bot. ed. i. No. 29. 



The only known species. 



In chalk pits and on rough banks and the undisturbed borders of 

 fields on chalky soQ. Rather scarce. It occurs in the chalk districts 

 of the south-eastern counties, but is not kno\vn to extend west of 

 Sussex, Berks, Bucks, Xorthampton, and Lincoln. Reported to have 

 been discovered by Mrs. Broaderick, in Haraphole Wood, near Don- 

 caster. 



England. Perennial. Early Summer. 



Root 2 subglobular or ovoid knobs, in flowering plants varying 

 from the size of a sloe to that of a small walnut. Stem (i inches to 2 

 feet high, the spike at length occupying nearly half the stem, the 

 lower half having a few sheathing bractlike leaves. Leaves sheathing, 

 oblong, the outer ones broader and blunter than the inner, which are 

 iicute. Spike many-flowered, dense while in bud, at length rather 

 lax and cylindrical, blunt. Bracts shorter than the ovary in flower. 

 Flowers yellowish-green, fi-equently more or less tinged with maroon or 

 dull brownish-red, especially on the labellum. Sepals and lateral petals 

 similar, but the petals narrower, about ^ inch long, concave, connivent 

 into a helmet; labellum about ^ inch long, hanging down, ?)-lobed, 

 the lateral lobes linear, the middle lobe strapshaped, longer than the 

 lateral lobes, cleft one-third of the way up into 2 linear segments, 

 the lateral lobes and segments of the labellum slender : these have 

 been supposed to resemble the legs and arms of a man, whence the 

 plant derives its specific name. Ovary twisted, green. Seeds, as in 

 most of the tribe, extremely minute, with a loose reticulated covering. 



3Ian Orchis. 

 French, Ophrys homme pe7iclu. German, MenscJiendhilicJies OJmJtom. 



The Orchis family is without question the most remarkable in the vegetable world. 

 The anomalous structirre of the flowers, their amazing variety, and the manner of life 

 proper to the greater portion of the species are circumstances which give interest to 

 a race of plants so peculiar. The few species which grow in Britain take root, like 

 othsr plants, in the earth, hut the tropical forms perch themselves upon the boughs 



