LISTERA NIDUS AVIS. BIRD’S-NEST LISTERA.
LISTERA Nidus avis, caule vaginato aphyllo.
OPHRYS Nidus avis. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1339. Fl. Succ. no. 815. Huds. Angl. p. 388. Light/.
Scot. p. 522. With. Lot. A rr. cd. 4. vol. 2. p. 31. Oed. Fl. Dan. 1 .181. Roth Fl. Germ,
vol. 2. p. 397. Smith Fl. B r it. p. 93 L Êngl. Bot. t. 48. Lam. Diet. vol. 4. p . 566.
E P IPACT IS Nidus avis. Swartz Gen. et Spec. Orchid, p. 66. Willd. Sp. PI. vol. 4. p. 87. Decand.
Fl. Fr. ed. 3. vol. 2. p. 260. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 172. t. 2043. Pers. Syh. P I. vol. 2. p. 5 13.
NEOT T IA Nidus avis. Richard Orchid. Europ. Annot. in Mém. du Mas. d'Hist. N at. vol. 4. p. 23.
E P IPACT IS aphylla, flore inerrai, labello bicorni. Hall. Helv. no. 1290. t. 37.
N ID U S Avis. Raii Syn. p. 382.
Dan. Fuglerede. Dut. Vogelnest. Fr. Le Nid-d'Oiseau. Germ. Das Vogelnest. It. Mdo d ’ Uccello.
Port. Ninho de passaro. Russ. Ptische gniesdo. Span. Nido de Ave. Swed. Fogelbo.
Class and Order. G Y N A N D R IA MONANDRIA.
[Natural Order. ÓRCHIDEA5, Juss. Decand. Brown. D iv . Anthera stigmati parallela, persistens.
Massa pollinis vel farinacete vel e corpusculis angulatis, apicibus stigmati affixas. Br.}
Gen . Char. Corolla irregularis. Labellum bilobum. Columna aptera. Anthera basi inserta. Pollen farina-
ceum. Brown in Hort. Kew.
Radix dense fasciculato-fibrosa, fibris crassis, simplici-
bus, teretibus, carnosis, pallide fusco-flavescen-
tibus.
Caulis pedalis et ultra, erectus, teres, subsulcatus, fistu-
lösus, fuscus, foliorum loco squamis concolori-
bus, alternis, lineari-oblongis, vaginatis,. apice in- l
tense fuscis vestitus, superioribus sensim minori-
bus, minus vaginatis atque bracteis simulantibus.
Bracteie parvffi, lanceolatte, fusete, pedicellis longi-
. .-ores, •
Flores in spicam laxam, oblongam congesti, breviter
pedicellati.
PerianTHIUM superum, sex-divisiim, foliolis quinque
, superioribus (Jig- L a.) pallide fuscis, obovato-
oblongis, coricavis, subtequalibus, in globum laxe
conniventibus, submembranaceis; inferius seu
labellum (Jig. 1. b.) subcarnosum, colore inten*
• -siore fusco, pendulum,* oblongum, basi subcor-
datum, intus convexum, apice bifidum, laciniis
palen li bus,vix acutis,
Columna elongata, subcylindrica. Anthera (ß g . 6.)
terminalis, stigmati parallela, basi inserta, mo-
bilis, ovata, dorso bemisphcerico, fusco, facie
antico paululum,convexa, flava, bilocularis, lo-
culis approximate, longitudinaliter dehiscentibus.
Masste Pollinis oblongas, flavas, bipartibiles, fari-
nacete, e granulis vel sphasrulis quaternis (ßg.7i).
Ovarium subcylindraceum, basi attenuatum, curvatum,
costatum, glandulosum (ß g . 1. c.). ■
Stylus brevissimus.
Stigma transversum, bilabiatum, labio superiore (Ros-
tellum, Rieh.) (ß g . 3. a. 4. a.), longiore, ascen-
dente, in cujus dorsum deponuntur massaj pollinis;
apice tuberculo minuto, recurvö (ß g . 4. c.)
(Proscolla, Rieh.).
Pericarpium : Capsula latè ovata, costata, tri-valvis
I ■ (Jig. s.): .
Semina mmutissima, numerosa, ovata, fusca, recep-
taculis tribus filiformibus, parietalibus aflixa tfe-a io.).
Root composed of densely-fasciculated, thick, simple,
round, fleshy fibres, of a brownish yellow co- 1 lour. •
Stalk a foot and-more in height, erect, round, somewhat
furrowed, fistulose,- brown, in the place of
leaves covered by alternate, linear-oblong, sheathing
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.
Perianth 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 lower one
or labellum (Jig. 1. b.') somewhat fleshy, of 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 (Jig. 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 (Jig. 7.). :
Ovary somewhat cylindrical, attenuated at the base,
curved, ribbed, glandulose (fig. 1. c.).
. Style very short.
j Stigma transverse, two-lipped, with the superior lip
(Roste/lum, Rich.) ,(fig. 3. a. 4. a.), the longest,
ascending, on the back of which the pollen masses
are lodged, having a small tubercle at the extremity
(jig. 4. c.) (Proscolla, Rich.)
Pericarp : a widely ovate, ribbed, three-valved capsule
(fig. 8.).- •
Seeds very minute, numerous, ovate, brown, fixed to
the three filiform parietal receptacles (fig. 9, H
Fig. 1. Side view of a flower; a. The five superior leaflets of the perianth; b. The labellum; c. The germen.
Fig. 2. Front view of a flower, with the perianth expanded to exhibit the column of fructification. Fig. 3. Portion
of the column, seen from its side; with a. The superior lip of the stigma, retaining on its posterior surface
the pollen masses; b. The inferior lip of the stigma; c. The anther, having discharged its pollen masses. Fig. 4.
Portion of the column, seen from behind, the anther being removed to exhibit—a. The superior lip of the stigma,
with the pollen masses; b. The inferior lip of D o .; and c. The recurved tubercle (Proscolla of Rich.). Fig. 5,
Back view of the anther, removed from jig . 4. Fig. 6. Front view of an anther before it has discharged its pollen
masses. Fig. 7. Granules, of which the pollen masses are composed. Fig. 8. Capsule. Fig. 9- The same,
horizontally cut open to show the insertion of the seeds. Fig. 10. Seeds.—All moretor less magnified.
This remarkable plant, which derives its specific name from the thickly, clustered fibres of the root, is found in
old shady woods in many parts of the kingdom; seldom appearing for two successive years on the same spot,
and preferring a stiff clay or chalky soil. In such situations in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk we find
it abundantly; and Mr. Graves has observed it to be no less common in Joyden, Darn, and other woods in the
vicinity of Bexley and Dartford, K en t: but he remarks that it rarely survives transplanting, though he once succeeded
with it, and that too after washing the roots thoroughly from the earth in which they grew. A tolerably
satisfactory evidence this, that the plant is not, as it has generally been supposed to be, parasitic; in addition to
which, it may b e observed, that among the numerous specimens which I have myself gathered, I never found one
that was in any way attached to vegetable substances. Its hue, which so much resembles that of the decaying leaves
which usually cover the places of its growth, has probably often occasioned this plant to elude the observation of
the botanist, and thereby induced it to be considered of much rarer occurrence than it really is.
Although the subject of this plate has been known for so many years, yet its parts of fructification have never
been well figured or correctly described by any author I have yet met with. I t is not qmong the plants noticed by
the editor of the last volumes of the Hortus Kewensis: but that gentleman has informed me that his character of
the genus Listera was so constructed as to include this species; and he adds, “ it might indeed be separated, by
means of some very trifling differences, and I even regret to leave it in a getius from which it is so very distinct in
habit.” Richard has called this genus Ncottia*, on account of its etymology, and to the true Neottia (spiralis, &c.)
has given the generic appellation of Spiranthus: but however applicable this name may be to our species, we
cannot approve of such change without some more substantial reasons.
Listera Nidus Avis is found in flower in the month of May.