500 THE ORCHID FAMILY. 



tufts of radical leaves, peduncles, and submerged roots. Leaves stalked, 

 orbicular, entire, cordate at the base, rather thick, about 2 inches diameter. 

 Peduncles of the male plant rather short, bearing 2 or 3 rather large flowers 

 on long pedicels, enclosed at the base in a spatha of 2 thin bracts. Outer 

 segments of the perianth pale green, shorter and narrower than the inner 

 white ones. Stamens 3 to 12. Female spatha sessile among the leaves ; the 

 flowers like the males, but with the pedicel enlarged at the top into a short 

 perianth-tube enclosing the ovary. Styles 6, with 2-cleft stigmas. Fruit ■ 

 dry, 6-celled, with several seeds. 



In ditches and ponds, dispersed over Europe and central and ^Russian 

 Asia, but not extending to the Arctic Circle. Occurs in many parts of 

 England and Ireland, but in some cases introduced, and not indigenous in 

 Scotland. Fl. summer. 



III. STRATI OTES. STEATIOTES. 



A single species, with the flowers nearly of Froghit, but a succulent fruit, 

 and a very dlfierent habit. 



1. TVater Stratiotes. Stratiotes aloides, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 379. Water-sohlier.) 



Rootstock creeping in the mud, producing at the bottom of the water 

 tufts of sessile, long and naiTow, more or less succulent leaves, bordered by 

 small, pointed teeth. Peduncles rising fi-om among tlie leaves to a few 

 inches above the water, much thickened at the top, bearing a spatha of 2 

 bracts, about an inch long. Male flowers several in the spatha, stalked, 

 much like those of the Frogbit but rather larger, with usually 12 or more 

 stamens. Female flowers solitary, and sessile in the spatha, with a rather 

 long tube, swollen below the middle. Ovary and stigmas nearly as in Frog- 

 hit, but the fruit is ovoid and somewhat succulent. 



In lakes and watery ditches, dispersed over Europe and Russian Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Common in the fens of eastern England, occurs 

 also in Lancasliire and Cheshire, and in some parts of Ireland, besides many 

 ponds in England and Scotland into which it has been introduced. Fl. 

 summer. 



LXXX. THE ORCHID FAMILY. OECHIDACE.E. 



Perennial herbs, with the roots or stock often thickened into 

 tubers, entire and parallel-nerved leaves, and irregular flowers, 

 either solitary or in spikes, racemes, or panicles, each one in 

 the axil of a bract. Perianth superior, irregular, with 6 usually 

 petal-like segments ; the 3 outer ones, called sepals, and 2 of the 

 inner ones, called petals, often nearly alike ; the third inner 

 one, called the lip, diflering from the others in shape or direc- 

 tion. Opposite to the lip, in the axis of the flower, is the 

 column, consisting of 1 or rarely 2 stamens, combined with the 

 pistil ; the 2-celled anther or anthers being variously situated 

 on the style itself. Pollen rarely granular, more frequently ; 



