BYEr's broom. ORCHIS. 



53 



very abundant weed on strong and moist pastures. It 

 belongs to the class and order " Diadelphia Decandria" of 

 Linneus, and the natural order Leguminosse" of Jussieu. 



Generic characters. — Calyx : perianth inferior, of one 

 leaf, small, tubular, two-lipped ; the upper lip with two teeth, 

 more deeply divided ; lower, with three nearly equal teeth. 

 Corolla papihonaceous ; standard oblong, remote from the 

 keel, entirely reflexed ; wings oblong, lax, shorter than the 

 other petals ; keel straight, emarginate, longer than the 

 standard. Stamina : filaments ten, all united, emerging 

 from the keel ; anthers simple. Pistil : germen oblong, 

 enveloped by the common filament; style simple, directed 

 upwards ; stigma acute, involute. Pericarp : legume 

 roundish or oblong, turgid; of one cell, and two valves. 

 Seeds several, mostly kidney-shaped, with a smooth elevated 

 border round the scar. 



Essential character. — Calyx two-lipped ; the upper lip 

 •with two teeth; lower with three. Standard oblong, bent 

 backwards from the rest of the flower. 



This genus of plants are mostly European ; shrubby, with 

 tough angular stems and branches, either ternate or simple 

 leaves, and yellow flowers. The species are twenty-five in 

 number, partly unarmed, and partly furnished with spines. 

 The spinous ones have all simple leaves. Three " Genistse" 

 are natives of Britain. 



The *' Genista tinctoria," or the Dyer's green weed," is 

 the most common in England, and grows mostly on dry pas- 

 tures. It is refused by no grazing animals but sheep, and it 

 is supposed to give a bitter flavour to the milk of cows that 

 feed upon it. It is rooted out by raising the plants by means 

 of spades and forks. 



18. The Orchis" plant of several kinds, is common on 

 most meadows. The plant belongs to the class and order 

 " Gynandria monandria " of Linneus, and the natural order 

 " Orchidese" of Jussieu. 



Generic character. — Calyx : perianth superior, of three 

 spreading leaves, the uppermost vaulted. Corolla : petals 

 two, often approximated, or attached to the upper leaf of 



