290 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
1. —THE GREEN MAN-ORCHIS. (Aceras anthropophora, It. Br.) 
Synonyme. —Opbrys anthropophora, Lin. Engravings Eng. Bot., t. 29 ; 2nd ed., t. 1206; and our^. 1, in PI. 57. 
Specific Character. —Lip longer than the ovary. ( Lindl.) 
Description, &c. —The flowers of this curious plant look just like a number of little men dressed in yellow, 
with green caps on. The species is common in dry chalky soils in the south-east of England, and it generally 
grows in open situations. The flowers appear in June, and when they have been expanded for some time, and 
are beginning to wither, the segments of the lip become dark at the extremities, which gives the flower a still 
more ludicrous resemblance to the figure of a little man. 
GENUS XIII. 
THE OPHRYS, OR INSECT-BEARING ORCHIS. (Ophrys, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. 
Generic Character. —Sepals spreading, coloured or herbaceous. Petals much smaller than the 6epals, generally coloured ; lip convex, 
not spurred, more or less lobed, usually hairy and figured. Pollen-masses with two glands, each inclosed in a separate pouch. (Lindl.) 
Description, &c. —All the British species belonging to this genus appear as if an insect were hiding in the 
centre of the flower. The name of Ophrys signifies an eyebrow, and alludes to the fringe of inner sepals, which 
is conspicuous in most of the flowers. 
1.—THE FLY ORCHIS. (Ophrys muscifera, Hudson). 
Specific Character. —Lip twice as long as the calyx, flat, with 
four expanded lobes, somewhat downy; the disk polished. Petals 
linear, smooth. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —It is scarcely possible not to fancy that a fly has settled on each flower, when this plant 
is seen for the first time, so perfectly is the appearance of an insect imitated. Even the antennae of the fly are 
Synonyme. —O. myodes, Swz. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 64 ; 2nd ed., t. 1208 ; and our fig. 2, 
in PI. 57. 
represented by two slender side petals. The flowers appear in May and June, and the plant is generally found 
only on chalky soils. 
2.— THE BEE ORCHIS. (Ophrys apifera, Huds.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 383 ; 2nd ed., t. 1208 ; and our fig. 2, five reflexed marginal lobes; the terminal one awl-shaped, the rest 
in PI. 57. hairy above. Sepals coloured. Petals ciliated. 
Specific Character. —Lip the length of the calyx, tumid, with 
Description, &c. —The flowers present the appearance of humming-bees clustering round the stalk. The 
species is found in nearly all the chalky districts of England, and the flowers appear in June and July. The 
tubers at the base of the stem are nearly round. 
3.— THE SPIDER ORCHIS. (Ophrys aranifera, Huds.) 
Synonyme. —O. fucifera, Curtis. 
Engravings.— Eng. Bot., t. 65 ; 2nd ed., t. 1209 ; and our fig. 3, 
in PI. 57. 
Specific Character. —Lip the length of the calyx, tumid, hairy, 
rounded, emarginate, with four shallow, reflexcd, marginal lobes. 
Sepals herbaceous. Petals linear, smooth. (Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —This species is found in similar situations to the last, but it’ flowers earlier in the spring, 
generally in the month of April. The resemblance of the flower to a spider is not quite so striking as those of 
