THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
653 
subjects ought never to be thus tarnished. We cannot allow 
our pages to be used for mere invective ; but of this we have 
no fear from the gentlemen who are open to reply to Mr. 
Simpson.] 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
By Professor James Buckman^ F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. &c. 
( Continued from p. 545.) 
The plants now to be noticed form one of the most 
curious, varied, and interesting assemblages that the botanist 
has to investigate. The Orchidales, of which the orchids 
are the centre, is an alliance full of interest in every point 
of view. In themselves the orchids form a most natural 
group. They are pre-eminently varied in almost every parti- 
cular ; and, as stated by Professor Lindley, “ At this point 
there is an abrupt break in the series of direct affinity. 
No gradual change can be traced from other natural orders, 
to that of the orchidal alliance, which is distinguished by the 
embryo not only having no albumen, but being a solid 
homogeneous body, equally destitute of any visible radicle or 
cotyledon.” Their grand characteristic is that, according to 
the Linnsean system, they are gynandrous, that is, the male 
and female organs are joined in one column. The seeds, 
again, are enveloped in a sort of case called an aril. The 
flowers are mostly irregular, often assuming highly curious 
forms, so as to be said to personate insects and other crea- 
tures. 
The alliance possesses three natural orders, as follows : 
Orchidales. 
Burmanniacece — Flowers regular, stamens free. 
Orchidacece . — Flowers irregular, gynandrous. 
Apostasiacece — Flowers regular, half gynandrous. 
In these, then, we have two small natural orders, as it 
were, approaching to and receding from the central one, 
which contains a very long list of genera, and to which our 
attention will now be more particularly confined. 
The orchids are tolerably well known through our native 
species ; but of late years they have attracted especial atten- 
tion from the curious and showy characters of different culti- 
xliv. 46 
