( 317 .) 
EPIPA'CTIS * *. 
Linncan Class and Order. GYNA'.NDRiAf, Mona'ndria. 
Natural Order. Orchi'de/e, Linn. — Juss. Gen. PI. p. 64. — 
Sm. Gram, of Bot. p. 81.; Engl. FI. v. iv. p. 3. — Lindl. Syn. p.256 ; 
Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 262. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 412. — 
Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 536. — Mack. FI. Hibern. p. 274. — Macr. Man. 
Brit. Bot. p. 224. — Hook. Brit. FI. (4th edit.) p. 425. — Palmares ; 
order, Musales ; sect. Orchidin.e ; type, Orchidace^e ; Burn. 
Outl. of Bot. v. i. pp. 391, 437, 458, & 461. 
Gen. Char. Pcrianthium% (see figs. 1 & 2.) superior, 6-parted. 
Sepals (see fig. 1. b. b. b.) 3, egg-shaped, pointed, equal, perma- 
nent. Petals (see figs. 2 & 3.) 2, egg-shaped, as long as the sepals, 
and, like them, either spreading or converging. Lip (nectary of 
Linn.y (see fig. 4, b.) inflated at the base, with little or no spur, 
either entire or with 3 lobes, of which the middle one is the largest, 
and, as it were, jointed with the others. Anther (see fig. 4, d. and 
fig. 5, b.) terminating the column (fig. 5, a.), rounded, fixed, per- 
manent, of 2 close parallel cells, depositing the inversely egg- 
shaped, powdery, undivided masses of pollen upon the stigma (see 
fig. 5, c). Germen (fig. l,a.) inversely egg-oblong, angular, fur- 
rowed, Style ( column ) (fig. 5, a.) somewhat elongated, incurved ; 
convex at the back ; concave in front. Stigma (fig. 5, c.) in front, 
close under the anther ; prominent, angular, various in form, un- 
divided. Capsule (fig. 6.) elliptic-oblong, angular, ribbed. Seeds 
(figs. 7 & 8.) small, roundish, with a lax tunic, greatly elongated 
at each end. 
The lip without a spur ; the plano-convex column, with 2 teeth 
at the apex ; the terminal, persistant anther ; and the powdery 
pollen-masses, eventually fixed to the back of the stigma (see fig. 5), 
will distinguish this from other genera in the same class and order. 
Six species British. 
EPIPA'CTIS PALU'STRIS. Marsh Helleborine. 
Spec. Char. Leaves spear-shaped, clasping the stem. Bracteas 
mostly shorter than the slightly drooping flowers. Perianth spread- 
ing. Lip longer than the petals, 3-lobed, middle lobe oval, crenate, 
retuse, with a notched protuberance on the disk. 
Hook. FI. Loud. t. 89. — Willd. Sp. PI. v. iv. pt. I. p. 84. — Sm. Engl. Fl. v. iv. 
p. 42. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 212. — Lindl. Syn. p. 259. — Hook. Brit. Fl. p. 
378. — Macr. Man. Brit. Bot. p. 229. — Hook, Fl. Scot. p. 254. — Fl. Devon, pp. 145 
and 132. — Johnst. Fl. of Berw. v. i. p. 193. — Winch’s Fl. of Northumb. & Durli. 
p. 57. — Walker’s Fl. of Oxf. p. 259.--Pcrry’s Fl. Varvic. Selects;, p. 74. — Bab. 
Fl. Bath. p. 50. — Mack. Catal. Fl. of Irel. p. 77. ; Fl. Hibern. p. 280. — Serdpias 
palustris. Scop. Fl. Carn. v. ii. p. 204. — Sm. Fl. Brit. v. iii. p. 943. — With. (7th 
Fig. 1. Germen and Sepals. — Fig. 2. A Flower, showing the 3 sepals, the 2 pe- 
tals, and the Up. — Fig. 3. A Fetal. — Fig. 4. A Flower with the sepals and petals 
taken off ; a. the germen ; b. the lip ; c. the column ; d. the anther ; e. the stigma. 
— Fig. 5. the Column bearing the anther, b, and the stigma, c. — Fig. 6. A Cap- 
sule. — Figs. 7 & 8. Seeds. — Figs. 3, 4, 5 & 8, more or less magnified. 
* Name given to some kind of Helleborine by the Greeks. 
t See folio 8, note t. t See folio 33, note f. 
