ORCHIDACEvE. 135 



numerous, minute, yellowish-greeu, in a spikelike raceme, otherwise as 

 in Liparis. 



The derivation of tlio name of tliis genus is from fidKaaau), I soften. 



SPECIES I.— MALAX IS PALUDOSA. Swartz. 



Plate MCCCCLXXXIX. 



Bei,:h. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XIII. Tab. CCCCXCIV. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Essicc. No. 78. 

 Opkrys paludosa, Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1341. 



The only known species. 



In bogs on Sphagnum. Kather scarce, but widely distributed, fi-om. 

 Devon, Hants, and Kent, north to Sutherland and Ross. Rare and 

 local in Ireland, but distributed from south to north. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, 



Autumn. > 



Rootstock a bulb clothed with soft whitish sheaths. Leaves 3 to 5, 

 obovate or oblong-obovate, concave, obtuse, acute or apiculate, often 

 fi'inged with minute bulbides. Stem 1 to 4 inches high, slender, with 

 five angles. Raceme -|- inch to 2 inches long, rather lax. Pedicels 

 shorter than the ovary. Bracts minute, lanceolate, subscarious, about 

 as long as the pethcels. Sepals broadly lanceolate, about ^ mch long. 

 Petals narrower and shorter than the sepals; the labellum turned 

 upwards, lanceolate, acute, much shorter than the sepals, its base 

 embracing the column. Flowers greenish-yellow. 



Bog Orchis. 

 French, Malaxis des marais. German, Sumpf Weichkraut. 



Tribe V.— CYPRIPEDEiE. 



Anthers 2, lateral ; the central stamen sterile and petaloid ; pollen- 

 masses not stalked, consisting of pulpy granules cohering but slightly. 



GENUS XVIII.—Q YPRIPEDIUM. Linn. 



Perianth with the divisions spreading ; labellum turned downwards, 

 very large, concave, and shaped Uke a Turkish slipper or French sahot. 

 Column short, incurved, 3-cleft ; the central division petaloid, each of 

 the lateral divisions bearing an anther. Pollen pulpy, granular. 



Herbs with shortly creeping rootstocks with slender rootfibres. 

 Stem with a few large parallel-nerved and plaited leaves sheathing at 



