266 ORCHID ACE JS. 



ORGHBDACE/E. 



Character of the Order. — Herbs with perfect, irregular flowers. Peri- 

 anth of 6 divisions, in 2 sets ; the three outer (sepals) commonly petaloid ; 

 of the three inner (petals) one is commonly more or less different in form 

 from the others, and is called the labellum or lip ; it is commonly directed 

 forward. In front of the lip is the column, composed of a single stamen, 

 or in Cypripedium, of two, with the rudiment of a third, coherent with, or 

 borne upon the thick fleshy style or stigma ; anther 2-celled, each cell con- 

 taining one or more masses of pollen. Stigma a broad glutinous surface, 

 except in Cypripedium. Ovary 1-celled, with innumerable ovules on 3 

 parietal placentae. Fruit a 1-celled, 3-valved pod, with innumerable very 

 small seeds. '■' 



Perennial herbs, with alternate leaves, often tuberous roots, and showy, 

 irregular, often singularly-shaped flowers; A very large order of chiefly 

 tropical plants. The North American species are in general of little medi- 

 cinal importance. 



COR ALLORHIZA. — Coral-Root. 



Coral lorhiza odontorhiza Nuttall. — Coral-Root. 



Description— -Perianth somewhat ringent, obscurely spurred at the 

 base ; sepals and petals # nearly alike, the upper arcfling ; lip entire or den- 

 ticulate, broadly ovate or obovate, abruptly contracted at the base. An- 

 ther terminal ; pollen masses 4. < Pod at first acute at the base, at length 

 oval. 



A light-brown or purplish plant, with scales instead of leaves^ 6 to 16 

 inches high, with bulbous, coral-like roots, probably parasitic. Mowers 

 6 to 10, on slender pedicels, whitish, appearing from May to July.. 



Habitat — In rich woods from New ¥ork to Michigan" audi southward. 



Part Used. — The root— not official. . - 



Constituents. — Unknown. 



Preparations. — Commonly employed in, infusion. 



Medical Properties.— Coral-root is sai$ -to be a prompt and efficient 

 diaphoretic. 



CYPRIPEDIUM.— Lady's Slipper. , 



Cypripedium pubescens Willdenow.— -Yellow Lady's Slipper. 

 Description.— Calyx : sepals elongated-lanceolate, spreading, wavy, 

 brownish, 2 of them united into one piece below the lip. Corolla : lateral 

 petals elongated-lanceolate, brownish or yellowish-green, wavy or more com- 

 monly twisted ; lip slipper- or moccasin-shaped, much inflated, 1 to 2 inches 

 long, yellow without, spotted within with brown. Column declined, with 

 a fertile stamen on each side ; on the upper side is an abortive stamen in 



