II HYDROCHARIDE^ — OROHIDACE^ 399 



Stratiotes (Water Soldier) 



DicBcious, with half-concealed honey. 



S. aloides. — The plant is protected from aquatic 

 animals by sharp teeth along the edges of the leaf The 

 male flowers have about 12 fertile stamens, and 15-30 

 others which serve as honey glands. The female flowers 

 have similar honey glands. It is said that in Northern 

 Europe there are no male flowers, while in Holstein 

 they are not infrequent. The increase is even with us 

 mainly by ofishoots. During the winter the plant 

 remains at the bottom of the water. In spring it rises 

 to the surface, producing fresh leaves, flowers, and 

 floating roots. After flowering it again sinks. The 

 seeds ripen in safety, and young plants are also pro- 

 duced at the end of long stalks which spring from 

 between the leaves. Towards the end of August the 

 plant rises a second time, and is at first surrounded 

 by the young ones. The connecting stalks, however, 

 die and decay, thus setting them free. Finally they all 

 descend to the bottom for the winter. 



OECHIDACEiE 



This is one of the largest, most varied, most interest- 

 ing, and most beautiful families in our whole flora. The 

 homologies of the flowers were first pointed out in 

 1831 by our great botanist, Eobert Brovvn.^ The 

 perianth consists of two whorls of 3 leaves ; those of 

 the outer whorl and two of the inner often form a sort 

 of hood protecting the inner parts of the flower. The 

 other petal is known as the labellum, and forms an 

 alighting stage for insects. This petal would normally 

 be uppermost, but the ovary is generally twisted, so that 

 it becomes a lower lip. The stamens (represented only 

 by the anthers) are normally 3, reduced, however, to 1, 



' Trans. Linn. Soe. xvi. 



