Ophrys apifera. Bee orchis. 
OPHRYS. Lin. Gen. Plant, el 3. Gynandria Diandria. 
ORCHIS. Raii Synoffi, ed. 3. 379. Herb* Bulbosis Affines. 
OPHRYS. bulbis fubrotundis, fcapo fbUofo, nedarii labia qumquelobo ; lobis fubtus inflexis. Hudfon. Floy. Angl. 340. 
ORCHIS, radicibus fubrotundis, labello holofericeo, emarginato, appendiculam. Waller. Hjfl. Pol a. . 266. tab. 24. 
Duas fpecies afferam et mafiifiram Hubsonis et Haleeri fub uno nom.ne Infell, ferat conjungtt 
Cl. Linnjeus. 
Fufchii icon 560. Bauhin pin. 83. Gerard, emac. 212. 
RADIX. Bulbi duo, fubrotundi, inaequales, radiculis | 
longis vix fibroiis fupra iuftru£h. 
CAULIS Semipedalis aut pedalis, teres, fg. x. foliofus. | 
FOLIA Vaginantia, ovato lanceolata, fubtus fubargen- | 
tea, fibris lineata, faspe mutilata et fufca. | 
I 
BRACTEAE magna, saginantes, virides, longitudine floris. | 
f 
FLORES a tribus ad fex, fpicati. 
• % 
COROLLA. Petala quinque, tria exteriora reliquis ma- | 
jora, ovata, concava, reflexa, purpurafcentia, ^ 
ferioribus pallidioribus, fubcarinata, carina vi- | 
ridi, fg. 2 ; duo interiora exterioribus quadruplo > 
minora, angufta, hirfuta, pofiice canaliculata, ad * 
bafn latiora, antrorfum extantia. ■ 
NECTARII Labellum amplum, leniter convexum, fub- 1 
orbiculatum, fufco fericeum, maculis flavis fre- ■ 
quenter variegatum, quinquelobum, lobis inflexis, ■ 
flo-, o lateralibus [duri angularibus, hirfutis", fg. 4- ; 
medio anteriorum pro duci io re, apice recurvato 
flavo, fg. 5. 
Machina flaminum five Stylus longa, fuberecLi, 
apice incurvata et furfum recurvata, fg. 1 1 . antice 
bilocularis, loculis apertis ,fg. 12, anguftis, mar- 
ginibus albis, membranaceis, fg. 13. 
STAMINA. Filamenta duo, fg. 6. efquamula ne&ari- 
fera ad bafin Styli exeuntia, nutantia, Stig- 
mati frequenter adhaerentia, fg. 8. bail glandula 
five globulo albo pellucido inftrufta, fg, 7. 
Anthers fubrotundae flavae, fg. 9. 
PISTILLUM. Germen oblongum, hexangulare, angulis 
obtuiis retiis, Stigma, fg. 10. melleo liquore 
obdu&um, cui particula antherarum frequenter 
adhaerent. 
PERICARPIUM. Capsula oblonga, fufca, uncialis, fg. 
14., unilocukris,/g. 16, tnvalvis, valvis carinatis. 
fg- 1 5 • 
ROOT. Two roundifh, unequal bulbs, furnilhedattopwith 
a few fmall longifh fibres, but little branched. 
STALK from half a foot to a foot high, round, fg. 1, leafy. 
LEAVES embracing the ftalk, of an oval pointed ihape, 
underneath filvery, with linear fibres, frequently 
imperfect, and of a brown colour. 
FLORAL LEAVES large, in the form of ajheath, green, 
and of equal length with the flowers. 
FLOWERS fro.m three to fix growing ill a fpike. 
COROLLA, five Petals, the three exterior larger 
than the reft, oval, concave, turning back, purplifh, 
fomewhat keel fhaped, the keel green, fg. 2. the 
latter flowering paleft ; the two interior four 
times fmaller than the others, narrow, hairy, hol- 
low behind, broadejl at bottom, and projecting forward. 
NECTARY. The lip of the Nectary, large, fomewhat con- 
vex, roundifh, of a filky brown colour, frequently 
variegated with yellow fpots ; having five lobes, 
the lobes bending underneath , fig. 3. fhe two fide lobes , 
fomewhat triangular andhairy, fig. 4. the middle of 
the anterior running out to a point, which 
turns back, and is of a yellow colour, fg. 5.. the 
Style which in this plant fupports the Stamina, 
long, upright, at the tip bending downwards and 
again upwards, fig. 11. anteriorly having two 
cavities which are open and narrow, fg. 11. the 
edges white and membranous, fg. 13. 
STAMINA, two Fil aments, fg. 6, arifing from the bot- 
tom of the ftyle out a nectariferous fcale, hanging 
down, frequently adhering to the Stigma, fg. 8. 
furnifhed at bottom with a fmall tra nfparent gland 
or globule, fg. 7. — The Anther.® roundifh and 
yellow, fg. 6. 
PISTILLUM. theGERMEN oblong, havingfix angles, the an- 
gles obtufe, not twified, theSTiGMA,_yfy. 1 0, covered 
with a vil'cid fubftance like honey, to which fmall 
particles of the Anthers frequently adhere. 
SEED VESSEL, a Capsule about an inch in length, ob- 
long, brown, fig. 14. of one cavity, fig. 16, and 
three valves, the valves keel fhaped. fig. 15. 
SEMINA plurima, minuta, oblonga, utraque extremitate 
membranacea, pellucida, reticulata, /g. 18, lente 
aucta, interiori parti carius longitudinaliter | 
affixa fg. 17. | 
SEEDS numerous, fmall, oblong ; at each end membra- 
nous, tranfparent, and reticulated, fig. 18. mag- 
nified, affixed lengthwife to the infide of the keel 
of each valve, fig. 1 7. 
Flowers in the Months of June and July, the Seed is ripe the latter End of August. , 
Grows generally on chalky ground near woods, and fomet.mes m meadows ; is become fo rare about hmim 3 as 
fcatcX to be found with any certaintv-Mr. Alcherne informs me he has frequently gathered it in the pits behind 
clarltln church, and in the woods near Cbifelhurjl in Kent— But it is often met vnth in plenty at a greater diftance 
from town. the fame v ; rt „es with thofe of the Orchis from which Salop is made, but being much 
fmaller is not worth cultivating on that account. The great refemblance which the flower bears to a Bee, majres it much 
fought after by Florifls, whofe curiolity indeed, often prompts them to exceed the bounds of moderation, rooting 
uAall they fifid, without leaving a Angle fpecimen to chear the heart of the. Student in his botanic excurfions. 
The heft Millie of tranfplanting them is when they are in flower. This, with moil of the other Orchis s, was 
cultivated with the greateft fulcefs by the late Peter Collinson, Efq; (whofe memory will always be revered 
by every Botanift) in his garden at Mill-hill.— His method was to place them in a foil and fituation as natural to them 
as poflible, and to fuffet the grafs and herbage to grow round them. „ „ .. 
I have not yet heard of their being propagated by ieed ; it is to be Wllhed that fome intelligent Gardiner would 
exert himfelf in making fome experiments to raife them in this way. . . , , . . , -a 
Botanirts have often been at a lofs in claffing many plants, to find tome refemblance by which they might diftingmth 
tluir rarticular fpecies ; but in this plant the cafe is otherwife, the flower is io like the rnfea that gives it its 
name 1 that it ftrik.es every beholder with admiration; what ufeful purpofe is intended by it we do not at prelent 
know’: Some future Obferver may perhaps, difeover, for they who will examine Nature herfelf, “ have much to lee. 
