ORCHID FAMILY 499 
one in our region. The Agaves are very important plants in 
Mexico where the natives obtain from them pulque, a fermented 
drink, mescal, a distilled drink resembling rum, and various 
fibers as sisal hemp and henequen. 
In connection with families noted for fibers and not pre- 
viously referred to, there is the Linden family of the Dicotyle- 
dons from which Jute is obtained and the 
Banana-like plant of the Banana family 
from the leaf stalks of which Manila hemp 
is obtained. 
Orchid Family (Orchidaceae). — This 
family includes the most highly developed 
Monocotyledons, and if the Monocoty- 
ledons are higher than the Dicotyledons, 
then the plants of this family are the most 
highly developed of the plant kingdom. st, Se 
In the Orchids the flowers are highly iG, 464. A Bower vf 
specialized, often very showy, and present an Orchid (Cypripedium), 
interesting mechanisms to secure cross- showing the irregularity 
pollination. The family includes numer- among the parts of the 
ous species and nearly one-fourth of the Petianth, and an_ insect 
Monocotyledons. The most highly spe- Snenne: <ehe Dove 
eee : structure of the corolla. 
clalized ones are tropical and occur only After Gibson. 
in greenhouses in the temperate regions. 
The flowers are epigynous and show extreme irregularity 
(Fig. 454). One of the petals called the lip varies much in shape 
and is usually very different from the other petals. The one 
or two stamens join with the style of the pistil to form the column. 
In most cases the pollen sticks together, forming masses called 
pollinia, and it is in these masses that the pollen is carried from 
one flower to another by insects. 
