lElDEJE. 515 



a great part of England, and abundant in some of the eastern and south- 

 eastern counties, and has been found in Ireland (Bab. Man.) but not in 

 Scotland. Fl. spring and early summer. 



XVI. CVPRXPEDE. CTPEIPEDIUM. 



Eootstock fibrous. Leaves large. Flowers few, with a large inflated lip. 

 Column terminating in a dilated, incurved, tliickish, petal-like lobe, below 

 which are 2 distinct anthers, one on each side. 



A considerable and very distinct North American and Asiatic genus, with 

 one species extending into western Europe. 



1. Slipper Cypripede. Cypripedium Calceolus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1. Lady's-slipper.') 



Stem I5 feet high, with large, ovate, pointed leaves, the upper ones lan- 

 ceolate, and 1 or rarely 2 large showy flowers on long peduncles. Upper 

 sepal opposite the lip, broadly lanceolate, I5 inches long, a similar one 

 (formed of the 2 lateral ones combined into one) under the lip ; the 2 petals 

 nearly as long, linear and spreading ; all of a brown-purple. Lip very large 

 and inflated, compared to a sUpper, yellow variegated with purple. Column 

 very much shorter than the petals. 



In woods, in Russian Asia and eastern Europe, almost to the Arctic 

 Circle, more sparingly distributed over western Europe. In Britain, almost 

 if not quite extinct, but was stiU found a few years smce near Settle, in 

 Yorkshire. Fl. early stmimer. 



LXXXI. THE IRIS FAMILY. lEIDE^. 



Perennial herbs, with a bulbous, tuberous, or shortly creep- 

 ing rootstock, and leaves usually either radical or equitant, that 

 is, arranged on opposite sides of the stem, and vertically, not 

 horizontally flattened, opening towards the base in a sheath 

 wnich embraces the stem. Perianth superior, with 6 petal- 

 like segments. Stamens 3. Ovary inferior, 3-celled, with 

 many ovules. Style 1, with 3 stigmas (or stigmatic lobes), 

 sometimes dilated and petal-like or fringed. 



A rather large family, widely spread over the globe, but particularly 

 abundant in southern Africa and other dry sunny climates. It differs from 

 the Amaryllis family in the number of stamens, and, in most cases, in the 

 position of the leaves. 



Leaves all radical, narrow-linear. Perianth-segments nearly equal, 

 and regular. 



Perianth-tube very short. Stigmas deeply 2-cleft 3. Teichonema. 



Perianth-tube longer than the segments. Stigmas jagged or much 



divided 4. Ceocus. 



Leaves on the stem, equitant. 

 Perianth with 3 outer large segments, and 3 inner small ones. 



Stigmas large and petal-like, arching over the stamens ... 1. Ibis. 

 Perianth with 6 nearly similar segments, but obUque, and arranged 



almost in two Ups 3. Gli.uioliis. 



