528 ORDER CXXII. ORCHIDACTLE. 



Genus XIII.— BLE'TIA. Ru. & Pa. 18—1. 

 (In honor of Louis Blet, a Spanish botanist) 



Leaves of the perianth distinct. Lip sessile, cncullate, some- 

 times spurred. Column free. Pollen masses 4 — 8, 2-lobed. 



1. B. verecun'da, (Nutt.) Leaves radical, lanceolate, plaited, broad. 

 Scape many-flowered. Lip ventricose, the border emarginate, fur- 

 rowed ; the interior segments connivent. — If. July — Aug. Southern 

 Geo. and Flor. 



2. B. aphyl'la, (Nutt.) Stem erect, simple, scaly. Leaves none. 

 Floivers in spikes, numerous, pendulous. Lip emarginate, crested 

 along the center ; the other segments connivent, oblong-lanceolate. — 

 Brown, streaked with purple. 2f . Aug. — Sept. On the margins of 

 swamps. 1 — 2 feet. 



Genus XIV— MALAX'IS. (Liparis, Rich.) Swartz., 18—1. 

 (From malascis, delicate, in allusion to its texture.) 



Segments of the perianth expanding, resupinate. Lip sessile, 

 entire, flattened. Column winged. Pollen masses 4, becom- 

 ing waxy. 



1. M. liliifo'lia, (L.) Leaves 2, radical, oval, lanceolate, glabrous. 

 Scape 3 — 5 angled. Flowers numerous, in a terminal raceme ; the exterior 

 segments of the perianth acute, the two interior filiform, reflexed. Lip 

 obovate, concave, acute at the summit. — White and yellow. If. June 

 — July. Upper dist. Car. and Geo. 6 — 8 iuches. 



2. M. ophioglossoi'des, (Muhl.) Stem erect, with a single leaf near 

 the middle. Leaf ovate, amplexicaul. Flowers numerous, in a termi- 

 nal raceme, small. Lip erect, concave, cucullate, bidentate ; the other 

 segments connivent, the two interior filiform. Column minute. — 

 Greenish-white. If. May — June. Middle and upper dist. Car. and 

 Geo. 6 — 9 inches. 



Genus XV.— CYPRIPE'DIUM. L. 18—2. {Lady's Slipper) 



(From Cypris, one of the names of Venus, and podion, a slipper ; hence its common 

 name, Venus' or Lady's Slipper.) 



Lip ventricose, inflated, saccate, large ; the other segments of 

 the perianth expanding, 4. Column terminating in a petaloid 

 lobe. 



1. C. parviflo'rum, (Salis.) Stem leafy, slightly pubescent. Leaves 

 alternate, lanceolate, acute, pubescent beneath, sessile, sheathing. 

 Flowers usually solitary ; outer segments of the perianth ovate-oblong, 

 acuminate, the inner ones linear, twisted, bearded on the inner surface. 

 Lip shorter than the petals, bearded at the base within. — Yellow, 

 spotted. May — June. Upper dist. Car. and Geo. 8 — 10 inches. 



2. C. pubes'cens, (Willd.) Stem leafy. Leaves oval, clasping, pubes- 

 cent. Lip yellow, contracted at the mouth ; lobe of the style triangu- 

 lar, oblong, obtuse ; the exterior petals acuminate, the interior very 

 long, linear, twisted. — Bright yellow. If. May. Middle Geo., near 

 Culloden. 1—3 fe«t. 



