THE OKCHID FAMILY. 



181 



others, the corm is absent or rudimentary only ; in the one- 

 leaved genus Pleurotliallus and its allies, it is more or less 

 linear cylindrical, and has the appearance of being the foot- 

 stalk of the leaf ; while in Grammatophyllum it is stout and 

 cane-like, attaining the height of 5 — 6 feet, being the largest 

 orchid corm known. 



In all the leaves are simple, entire, glabrous, rarely pu- 

 bescent ; varying in form from cylindrical (spike or rush- 

 like) to broad elliptical and subrotund, rarely absent. 

 Flowers solitary, in spikes or racemes, rarely in umbels or 

 panicles, each flower consisting of 3 sepals and 3 petals of 

 various size and form (often grotesque), one always repre- 

 senting a labellum (Fig. 4 6), which is plain, cucullate, pitcher- 

 shaped, or divided into a fine hair-like fringe (moveable in 

 some when touched). Stamens normally 3 (generally the 

 two lateral ones abortive, or, as in Cypripedium the central 

 one abortive), and with a pistil consolidated, forming a 

 gynandrous column, bearing on its apex a deciduous oper- 

 culum, under which lies 2 — 8 free masses of generally waxy 

 pollen, attached to a viscid gland seated in front of the 

 column, two in Hahenaria and Bonatea, being either sessile 

 with the pollen masses, or furnished with a thread or strap- 

 like appendage (caudicula). Stigma generally in the form 

 of a viscid cavity in front of the column, or consisting of two 

 projecting lobes, as in Bonatea. Fruit a 3-sided, 3-valved 

 capsule, containing numerous membranous very small seeds. 



The late Dr. Lindley, who was a great authority on this 

 family, gives in his " Vegetable Kingdom," 3000 as the number 

 of species. They are found in nearly all parts of the world, 

 those existing in cooler regions having bulbous roots or 

 rhizomes, and grow on the earth, many such being also found 

 in the tropics, but a great majority of the tropical species 

 grow upon trees. 



It is surprising, when we consider the immense number of 

 species and the superlative beauty of many of their flowers, 

 that the family should possess but few economic uses. They 

 have, however, come into great repute within the last forty 



