CORALLORHIZA. 



ORCHIDACE.E. 



269 



2. CORALLORHIZA. Holler; Endl. gen. 1339 (excl. Aplectrum). CORAL-ROOT. 



[From the Greek, korallion, coral, and rhiza, a root ; the roots heing coral-like.] 



Sepals and petals connivent, nearly equal. Lip produced at the base underneath ; the spur 

 short and adnate to the ovary. Column free. Masses of pollen 4, oblique (not parallel), 

 somewhat lenticular. — Plant leafless. Root coral-like. Scape sheathed. Flowers in a 

 terminal raceme. 



1. Corallorhiza innata, R. Brown. Vernal Coral-root. 



Scape few- (5 - 10-) flowered ; lip oblong, somewhat 2-toothed toward the base, deflexed ; 

 spur obsolete, adnate ; capsules elliptical-obovoid. — R. Br. in Ait. Kew. (ed. 2.) 5. p. 209 ; 

 Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 194 (excluding the syn. C. odontorrhiza, Nutt). C. verna, Nutt. in 

 jour. acad. Phil. 3. p. 136. t. 7 ; Torr. compend. p. 322 ; Beck, hot. p. 345 ; Darlingt. fl. 

 Cest. p. 510. Cymbidium Corallorhizon, Willd. sp. 4. p. 110. Ophrys Corallorhiza, Linn, 

 sp. 2. p. 945. 



Root (as in the other species of the genus) consisting of very thick fleshy fibres, which 

 are branched and toothed like some corals. Scape about a span high, slender, not swollen at 

 the base, clothed with several leafless acute sheaths, of a tawny purplish color. Flowers 

 rather distant, at first erect, but at length spreading, of a dull purple. Sepals lanceolate. Lip 

 nearly spotless, whitish, with a more or less distinct tooth on each side : spur almost wanting, 

 adnate to the ovary. Capsules reflexed. 



Woods, in rich soil. Fl. May - June : rare. 



2. Corallorhiza odontorrhiza, Nutt. (PI. exxvi.) Small Late Coral-root. 



Scape few-flowered, somewhat bulbous at the base ; lip oval or obovate, crenulate and 

 waved; spur obsolete; capsules nearly globose. — Nutt. gen. 2. p. 197; Torr. compend. 

 p. 322; Beck, hot. p. 345 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 510. Ophrys Corallorhiza, Michx. fl. 2. 

 p. 158. Cymbidium Corallorhizon, Willd. sp. 4. p. 110. C. Wisteriana, Conrad in jour, 

 acad. Phil. 6. p. 145 ? 



Root as in the preceding. Scape about a span high, usually swollen into a roundish fleshy 

 tuber at the base. Raceme 8 - 1 2-flowered. Flowers about as large as in C. innata, of a 

 tawny and purplish color. Sepals and petals oblong-lanceolate. Lip whitish margined with 

 purple ; the palate marked with 2 oval protuberances near the middle : spur entirely wanting. 

 Capsules roundish oval or nearly globose, 3-4 lines long, finally pendulous. 



Woods, in rich soil : rather frequent. Fl. August - September. Fr. October. 



3. Corallorhiza multiflora, Nutt. (Plate CXXVI.) Large Coral-root. 



Scape many- (10 - 30-) flowered ; lip cuneiform-oval, spotted, 3-lobed, the middle lobe 

 recurved ; spur prominent, adnate ; capsules elliptical-obovoid. — Nutt. in jour. acad. Phil. 

 3. t. 7 ; Torr. compend. p. 354 ; Beck, hot. p. 345 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 51 1 ; Hook. fl. 



