C lass a n d O r d e r . GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA.
[Natural O r d e r . ORCIIIDE/E, J uss. D e ca n d : B row n . D iv . A n th e r a stigmati parallela, persistens.
M a s s a pollinis vel farinace® vel e corpusculis angulatis, apicibus stigmati affix®. B r J \
Gen. Char. Corolla irregularis. Labellum bilobum. C o lm m a aptera. A n th e r a basi inserta. P o llen farina-
ceum. B row n in H o r t. K cw .
Radix dense fasciculato-fibrosa, fibris crassis, simplici-
bus, teretibus, carnosis, pallide fusco-flavescen-
tibus.
Caulis pedalis et ultra, erectus, teres, subsulcatus, fistu-
losus, fuscus, foliorum loco squamis concolóri-
bus, alternis, lineari-oblongis, vaginatis, apice intense
fuscis vestitus, superioribus sensim minori-
bus, minus vaginatis atque bracteis simulantibus.
Braoteie parv®, lanceolate, fuse®, pedicellis longi-
Flores in spicam laxam, oblongam congesti, breviter
pedicellati.
Perianthium superum, sex-divisum, foliolis quinquè
superioribus (Jig. 1, «.) pallide fuscis, obovato-
oblongis, concavis, sub®qualibus, in globum laxe
conniventibus, su'bmembranaceis;' inferius seu
labellum (Jig. 1. b.) subcarnosum, colore inten-
siore fusco, pendulum, oblongum, basi subcor-
datum, intus convexum, apice bifidum, laciniis
patentibus, vix acutis.
CoLUMNA elougata, subcylindrica. Anthera (Jig. 6.)
tcrminalis, stigmati parallela, basi inserta, mq-
bilis, ovata, dorso hemisphcerico, fusco, facie
antico paululum convexa, flava, bilocularis, lo-
culis approximatis, longitudinaliter dehiscentibus.;
Mass® Pollinis oblong®, flav®, bipartibiles, fari-'
nace®, e granulis vel spherulis quaternis (fig.7.').
Ovarium subcylindraceucn, basi attenuatum, curvatum,
Root composed of densely-fasciculated, thick, simple,.
, round, fleshy fibres, o f a brownish yellow co-
lour.
Stalk a foot and more in height, erect, round, somewhat
furrowed, fistulose, brown, in the place of
leaves covered by alternate, linear-oblong, sheath-
. ing scales, of the same colour as the stalk, but
browner at the points, the superior ones gradually
smaller, less sheathing and resembling bracteas.
Bracteas small, lanceolate, brown, longer than the
footstalks.
Flowers collected into a lax, oblong spike, shortly pedicellate.
~ -
Pe r ia n t h superior, six-cleft, with the five superior
leaflets (Jig. 1. a.) pale brown, obovato-oblong,
concave, nearly equal, loosely connivent into a
globe, somewhat membranaceous; the lozoer one
or labellum (Jig. 1. b.) somewhat fleshy, o f a
deeper brown colour, pendulous, oblong, somewhat
cordate at the base, and within convex, at
the apex bifid, with the segments patent, scarcely
acute.
Column elongated, subcylindrical. Anther (fig. 6.)
terminal, parallel with the stigma, inserted on its
base, moveable, ovate, hemispherical on the back,
and brown, its anterior side a little convex, yellow,
two-celled, with the cells approximate, opening
longitudinally. 'Pollen-Masses oblong, yellow,
each divided by a furrow, farinaceous, composed
of granules adhering in fours (fig. 7 .).
Ovary somewhat cylindrical, attenuated at the base,
curved, ribbed, glandulose (fig. 1 . c.).
Sty l e very short. ' / ■ '
St igma transverse, two-lipped, with the superior lip
(Rostellum, Rich.) (fig. 3. a. 4. a.), the longest,
ascending, on the back o f which the pollen masses
•are lodged, having a small tubercle at the extremity
(fig .4. c.) (Proscolla, Rich.), ;'-
Pe r ic a r p : a widely ovate, ribbed, three-Yalved capsule
(fig. 8.).
Seeds very minute, numerous, ovate, brown, fixed to
the three filiform parietal receptacles (fig. Q,
10.). v
“to- -.of a flower; a. The five superior leaflets of the perianth; b. The labellum; c. The germen.
^•. 2. Front vrnw of'a flower, with the perianth expanded to exhibit the column of fructification. Fig. 3. Por-
on oi the column, seen from its side; with a. The superior lip of the stigma, retaining on its posterior surface
M W m T sse® ’ *’The inferior %■ of the stigma; c. The anther, having discharged its pollen masses. Fig. 4
S i t of tbe column, seen from behind, the anther being removed to exhibit— «. The superior lip of the stigma,
m tne pollen masses; b. The inferior lip of D o .; and c. The recurved tubercle (Proscolla of Rich.). Fig 5
™ « f B a~ther’ yemov„ed from ƒ # • 4 - FiS- i Front view of an anther before it has discharged its pollen
hori™rl,ii 1' Granulf ’ of,whlch the Pollen masses are composed. Fig. 8. Capsule. Fig. 9. The same,
oi izontally cut open to show the insertion o f the seeds. Fig. 10. Seeds,—All more or less magnified.
his remarkable plant, which derives its specific name from the thickly clustered fibres of the root, is found in
many parts of the kingdom ;seldom appearing for two successive years on the same spot,
XT r .. W. ,.
Stigma transversum, bilabiatum, labio superiore (R o stellum,
Rich.) ( fig . 3 . a. 4 . «.), longiore, ascen-
dente, in cujus dorsum deponuntur mass® pollinis;
apice tuberculo minuto, recurvo ( fig . 4. c.)
(Proscolla, Rich.).
Pericarpium : Capsula late ovata, costata, tri-valvis
:0%;. .
oEMINA minutissima, numerosa, ovata, fusca, recep-
taculis tribus filiformibus, parietalibus affixa
( f e - s , 10.).
Pig-1. Side
and IP®vyoods u,auj' paiMiui lucKiuguom; seiaom app>
it abunrinnri1118 a or challfy soil- In sP?h situations in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk
vicinity of ft ’ l ^ V ? raves has observed I t0 be n0 less common in Joyden, Darn, and other woods
ceeded ivith u Gy f \u Dartford> Kent • but he remarks that it rarely survives transplanting, though he once suc-
satisfactorvKh » i t # - t0? aftf f washin.g fbed'00ts thoroughly from the earth in which they grew. A tolerably
which mat . '•«it mnv i l l? t llSj th,al the Plant ,s not> as it has generally been supposed towas *) ic in may be observed, that ;------------among o ,— the r ------- -:— - s specimens ------which T I have myself »< •b e, ■> para’s i-tic; in addition to gathered, I never found on.
which usual??y ay af ael*ed t0 veSetable substances. Its hue, which so much resembles that of the decaying leave
lhe botanici.y §pf C<TV? r m p. , es o f its growth, has probably often occasioned this Dlant to elude the observation n
AAlltthhno il T th®. reby Jln«mdVucceedu Uit ttoo boee ccoonnssiiadeerreeda oofrfmfouch r ^occurrence than i really is..
been well^5onr?rfU^ eCt P^ate ^as been itnqwn for so many years, yet its parts of fructification have never
the editor o ftL 1,or;eorf Gfcl'y described by any author I have yet met with. It is not among the plants noticed bv
the le genus senne L r iitrrn • 7 e laSt 7 ---------------volumes ° t the Hortus Kewensis:• UUL but .that l-ua,‘ gcuueuian gentleman nas has miormea informed me that his character ------ --- of
-
meanc means of ■Llstcril was as so so constructed constructed as as to to include include this this species;' and...................................
he adds, “ it might indeed be separated, by
habit”habit’- RjX? 7ery , f y trifling trir S differences,dl.fferences, and I e
even regret to leave it in a genus from which it is so very distinct in
has has given i , ; ? the ard M has i called Ca ed .this t.hls.§genus enu® Lfepttia*,N e o ttia *
on account of its etymology, and to the true Neottia (spiralis, See.)
‘cannot ttnnot annrn,ann^6 JLr?^etieTlc 7.CraP,appellation Pe atl0ri of Spiranihus Spiranthi
■ but however applicable this name may be to our species, we
Lister*e,a PA7v mm. of siich'change without some more substantial reasons, Avis is found in flowe: in ‘ the ‘
month of May.
* Nsorhx, nidus.