ORCHIDACE, 999 
present. Flowers often showy, hermaphrodite, irregular. Perianth 
superior, of 6 free or variously connate segments, 2-seriate; 3 
outer (sepals) more or less similar, the 2 apis sometimes connate 
in a short or long sac or spur-like base (mentum) ; 3 inner (petals) 
dissimilar, the 2 lateral alike and often soni the sepals, the 
remaining petal (lip) usually very ee shaped. Stamens 
adnate to style and forming with it a column opposite the lip; 
anthers usually 1, sometimes 2, on ren Sn i or back of the 
column, and free or adnate to it, 2-celled or, by subdivision, 
4-celled, top of the column sometimes Bieetea towards the lip 
into a beak (rostellum) ; pollen-grains usually coherent in each 
cell into 1, 2, or 4 pairs of oblong or globose or pyriform waxy or 
powdery masses (pollinia), which are free or adnate by pairs or 
fours immediately, or by a stalk (caudicle) to a gland. Carpels 3, 
connate in an inferior, 1- celled, sigptat ear or twisted ovary; 
ovules very many, minute; stigma, one or two viscid spots on the 
P or concave face of the column, ent the lip and below the 
anther ; rarely discoid and above the two anthers. Fruit a cap- 
sule, usually open ing by 3 or 6 longitudinal fissures, rarely fleshy 
and subindehiscent. Seeds very many, minute, with a lax hyaline 
testa enclosing a homogeneous nucleus. 
*Ovary and fruit 1-celled - : agit minute ; sepals and petals usually very 
unlike the modified lip reas 03] 
tAnther single :—[p. 1 
}Pollinia waxy :— 4 ae 
§Pollinia free, or those of each cell held together at the base .by a 
viscid mepceanee not attached by their bases or by a caudicle to 
the rostellum :—[p. 1001] 
* Pollinia L = 000 
Leaves sessile, equitant, fleshy, congested on short or dis- 
tichous on elongated stems, with the vaginal portion much 
shorter than the main leaf; inflorescence bercrrt he NI 
minute, racemose or spicate ; — n very short, 
appendages or foot; ay mabe herb: Beri lla 
Leaves membranous or coriaceous or Gia not equi- 
tant, or if, very rarely (Denidrobien § Aporum), equitant and 
fleshy, the flowers axillary and the vaginal part of the leaf 
nearly or quite as long as the main peo and with the 
column prolonged below into a foot :— 
Terrestrial herbs; leaves membranous, rarely Leip 
sometimes) coriaceous, usually sessile; inflorescence 
