LXXXI, ORCHIDACE®. 435 
LXXXI. ORCHIDACEA. THE ORCHID FAMILY. 
Perennial herbs, with the roots or stock often thickened into 
tubers, entire and parallel-nerved leaves, and irregular flowers, 
either solitary or in spikes, racemes, or panicles, each one in the 
axil of a bract. Perianth superior, irregular, with 6 usually 
petal-like segments; the 3 outer ones, called sepals, and 2 of 
the inner ones, called petals, often nearly alike ; the third inner 
one, called the dzp or labellum, differing from the others in shape 
or direction. Opposite to the lip, in the axis of the flower, is the 
column, consisting of | or rarely 2 stamens, combined with the 
pistil ; the 2-celled anther or anthers being variously situated on 
the style itself. Pollen rarely granular, more frequently cohering 
into 1 or 2 pairs of oblong or globular pollen-masses, tapering at 
one end into a point. Ovary inferior, 1-celled, with 3 parietal 
placentas. Capsule 3-valved, with innumerable minute seeds, 
resembling fine sawdust. 
A very extensive Order, spread over all parts of the globe. Our own 
species, and generally those of temperate regions, are terrestrial, but a 
large proportion of the tropical ones are epwphytes, growing upon the 
stems and branches of trees, but without penetrating into their tissues. 
Numbers of these are now extensively cultivated for the singularity of 
the forms assumed by the flowers, as well as for their great beauty. The 
genera are distinguished chiefly by the form and relative arrangement 
of the anther-cells, the pollen masses, and the stigma, and the shape 
and direction of the lip, characters which, however essential, are in 
many cases as difficult to describe clearly as to observe accurately, 
especially in dried specimens. For the beginner, therefore, I have en- 
deavoured in the following table to select such prominent features as 
may guide him to the British species, independently of the more minute 
characters, which may be reserved for subsequent study. 
Stem without any leaves, except short scales. 
Lip with a spur underneath. Flowers few, rather large . 8. EPIPOGUM. 
Lip without a spur. Flowers small. 
Plant green. Flowers white, in a spirally-twisted spike . 9. SPIRANTHES. 
Plant and flowers brown or yellowish-white. Flowers 
in a raceme. 
Lip entire, not so long as the sepals. ‘ : ‘ . 38 CORALLORHIZA. 
Lip 2-cleft, longer than the sepals . ‘ , F . ot. NEOPTEA. 
Plant with 1, 2, or more green leaves. 
Perianth with a spur or pouch at the base of the lip. . 11. ORCHIS (and 
- Perianth without any spur or pouch* 12. HABENARIA). 
Lip hanging, longer than the sepals, very narrow or divided 
into narrow lobes. Flowers yellowish-green. 
Stem with 2 opposite, broad leaves. Flowers pedicel- 
late. Rootstock fibrous. : 5 : : 6. LISTERA. 
% A single specimen has been occasionally found of species of Orchis and Habe- 
naria, in which the flowers are all deformed, without any spur, but such instances 
are very rare. 
