736 



THE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



vegetable kingdom) are borne in one plane. The fruits are large capsules, and the 

 seeds are inclosed in arils with blue metallic lustre. 



ZingiberacecB. — One stamen, the posterior of the inner whorl, alone is fertile. 

 The two others of this whorl are joined together to form a petaloid structure — the 

 labellum. Here are included the Ginger {Zingiber), Alpinia (fig. 283 ^ p. 289), and 

 Hedychium, cultivated for the beauty of its flowers; also Globba and Mantisia (the 

 Opera Girl) with flowers altogether remarkable; M. saltatoria presents some resem- 

 blance to a ballet-dancer, hence the name. 



CannacecB. — Flowers altogether asymmetrical. The fertile stamen possesses 

 only a half-anther and several petaloid staminodes are present forming the most 

 conspicuous portion of the flower. Ganna indica, the Indian-shot, and other species 

 are much cultivated, and have given rise to numerous brilliantly-coloured hybrids. 



Marantacece. — Have asymmetrical flowers and a fertile half -stamen only. The 

 other stamens are modified into peculiar staminodes, and the family is nearly allied 

 to Cannaceae. Arrowroot is obtained from the rhizomes of species of Maranta. 



The Scitaminese includes about 600 species. 



Alliance XXXI. — G-ynandrae. 

 Families: Orchidacece, Burmanniacece. 



Flowers with petaloid perianth and inferior ovary. The stamens reduced to 

 one, two, or three, and generally united with the gynasceum to form a column 

 (hence the name Gynandrse). The fruits are capsules, and the seeds exceedingly 

 small and numerous. 



Orchidacece. — After the Compositse, the largest family of flowering plants, 

 numbering some eight thousand or more species. Its members are chiefly tropical 

 epiphytes, and their mode of life has received frequent mention in vol. i. Very 

 characteristic of the Orchid flower is the median petal, developed as a labellum (c/. 

 fig. 2581 p_ 227, and fig. 268^ p. 255). The family may be divided into two divi- 

 sions according to the number of stamens present. 



Division 1. Diandrce. — -Having usually two poUiniferous stamens and a large 

 and conspicuous staminode (which corresponds to the single fertile stamen of the 

 Monandrffi). The Lady's Slipper {Cypripedium, cf. figs. 267 ^ and 267 ^, p. 249, 

 and description on p. 253) is the best-known representative of this division. A 

 little group of plants, the Apostasiacese, is also included here. To it belongs 

 NeiMwiedia, with 3 fertile stamens {i.e. the two found in Gypripedium and the one 

 which is represented by the staminode). 



Division 2. Monandrce. — Includes the greater portion of the family, with one 

 stamen only united with the gynseceum into the column and producing pollen in 

 masses (pollen -masses). The single stamen is inserted above the stigmatic surface, 

 from which it is separated by the rostellum, and is on that side of it which is 

 away from the labellum, the usual alighting place for insects. The structure of the 

 monandrous Orchid flower having been fully described and figured (pp. 253-257), 



