466 Orchidacec. 
depth of about 2 feet of water. It belongs to a small order 
called Juncaginacece, distinguished from Alismaceew by the 
apetalous bracteate flowers. 
Orner VI—ORCHIDACEZ. 
Terrestrial herbs with tuberous or fascicled roots and 
sheathing radical or sessile cauline leaves; or, as in most of 
the tropical species, epiphytes, with enlarged stems called 
pseudo-bulbs. Flowers solitary, spicate, racemose or paniculate. 
Perianth coloured, superior, composed of 6 irregular segments. 
The 3 outer are similar, and also the 2 lateral inner, whilst the 
lower inner segment, usually termed the labellum, assumes a 
variety of curious forms, and is often spurred at the base. 
Stamens and style confluent. Anther 
‘land opposite the lip, or (in Cypri- 
petium) 2 and opposite the lateral 
inner lobes of the perianth; pollen 
cohering in 2, 4, or 8 waxy or granu- 
liferous masses. Fruit a 1-celled 
3-valved inferior twisted capsule, 
containing numerous very minute 
seeds attached to the valves. This 
order includes upwards of 400 genera 
comprising 3,000 species, abounding 
in all climates except the extreme 
cold. We have about 40 indigenous 
species belonging to 18 different 
genera. Like the majority of the 
terrestrial species they are more 
curious than beautiful, and as they 
hardly come within our limits, and 
more space than we can afford would 
be required to give intelligible de- 
scriptions, we must be content with’ 
mentioning the names of a few of 
the more interesting species. Fore- 
most come the common Spring- 
Hig Cope pslnin Ghtecdtie flowering species of Orchis, O. mas- 
cula and Moro which throw up their 
spikes of purplish flowers from April till June. The handsomest 
perhaps of the genus is 0. pyramzdalis which has rosy-crimson 
