fe-atifll
LISTERA CORDATA.
M j|
. HEART-LEAVED LISTERA.
LISTERA cordata ; caule bifolio, foliis cordatis oppositis, labello inferne bidentato, lobis apicis lineari-
lanceolatis. B r .
L ISTERA cordata. Brown in Hort. ICew. ed. 2. vol. 4. p. 201. Hook. FL Scot. P. I. p . 253.
N EO T T IA cordata. Richard in Mém. du Mus. vol. 4. p. 59-
E P IPA C T IS cordata. Swartz de Orchid, p. 66. TVilld. Sp. P I. vol. 4. p. 88. Decand. Fl. Fr.
ed. 3. vol. 3. p. 261. F L 'Gall. Syn. p. 172. Pers. Syn. P I. vol. 2. p. 513.
OPHRYS cordata. Linn. Sp. P L p. 1340. Huds. Angl. p. 388. L ig h t f Scot. p . 524. With.
Bot. A rr. ed. 4. vol. 2. p. 35. Hoffm. Germ. ed. 2. vol. 1. P . I I. p. 178. Smith FL
B r it.p . 933. Engl. Bot. t. 358.
E P IPA C T IS foliis binis cordatis, labello bifido postice bidentato. Hall. Helv. n. 1292. t. 22. f . 4.
BIFO L IUM minimum. The least Twayblade. Rail Syn. p. 385.
Class a n d Order. G Y N A N D R IA MONANDRIA.
[N atural Order. ORCH ID EÆ , J uss., Decand., Brown, Hook.]
Gen . Char. Corolla irregularis. Labeilum bilobum. Columna aptera. Anthera basi inserta. Pollen fari-'
naceum* B r i
Ge n . Char. Corolla irregular. Lip two-lobed. Column wingless. Anther fixed by its base. Pollen farinaceous.
-
Radix e fibris plurimis horizontalibus, simplicibus,
crassiusculis (perennis ?):
Caulis palmaris vel subspithamæus, erectus, flexuosus,
striatus, ad basin squamis duabus vel tribus
ovatis, vaginatis, fuscis, muni lus, medium versus
diphyllus.
Folia cordalo-rotundata, opposita, acuta, glabra, loogi-
tudinaliter venosa.
Flores viridi-fusci, in spicam laxam dispositi, breviter
pedunculati, bracteati, bracteis ovatis, minutis.
Perianthium sex-partitum, foliolis subpatentibus, tribus
exterioribus æqualibus, ovatis, concavis, viri-
dibus, trium interiorum duobus superioribus ob-
longis, fuscis, infimo, vel labello, fusco, lineari-
oblongo, pendente, basi bidentato, apice bifido,
laciniis lineari-lanceolatis, subdivergentibus.
Columna perbrevis.
Anthera magna, stigmati parallels, viridi-fusca, dorso
convexa, facie plana, bilocularis, loculis longitu-
dinaliter dehiscentibus : Massæ pollinis ovato-
acuminatoe, compressée, flavæ, farinaceæ.
Germen ovato-sphæricum, striatum, viridi-fuscum.
Stigma anticum, magnum, bilabiatum.
Capsula spliærica, unilocularis, sex-valvis, valvis alter-
nantibus viridibus, fuscisque, dorso obtuse carinata.
Receptaculum longitudinale in singulam valvulam.
Semina numerosissima, minutissima, oblonga, membra-
naeea, reticulata.
Root consisting of many horizontal, simple, thickish
fibres (perennial?).
Stem from three inches to nearly a span in height, erect,
flexuose, striated, furnished at the base with two
or three brown, ovate, sheathing scales, bifoliate
at about the middle of its length.
Leaves between heart-shaped and round, opposite,
acute, glabrous, longitudinally veined.
Flowers of a greenish brown colour, arranged into a
lax spike, and borne upon short peduncles, brac-
teated, the bracteas ovate, minute.
Perianth of six subpatent leaflets, the three exterior
ones equal, ovate, concave, greefi, the two upper
ones of the three internal leaflets oblong, brown,
the lowest or labellum brown, linear-oblong, pendent,
notched at the base, bifid at the point, the
segments between linear and lanceolate, slightly
diverging.
Column extremely short.
Anther large, parallel with the stigma, greenish brown,
convex behind, plane before, two-celled, the cells
splitting lengthwise: Pollen masses ovato-acu-
minate, compressed, yellow, mealy.
Germen between ovate and spherical, striated, greenish^
brown.
Stigma placed in front, large,*two-lipped.
Capsule sphierical, one-celled, six-valved, the valves
alternately of a green and brown colour, obtusely
keeled at the back.
Receptacle longitudinal upon each valve.
Seeds very numerous, very minute, oblong, membrana-
ceous, reticulated.
Fi<r. 1. Flower. Fi»\ 2. The labellum. Fig. 3. Front view of the column of fructification. Fig. 4. Side view
of the same, showing the pollen masses which have fallen from the anther upon the back of the stigma. Fig, 5.
Pollen-masses. Fig. 6. Ripe capsule. Fig. 7. The same cut through transversely to show the situation of the
seeds. Fig. 8. Valve of the capsule with its receptacle and a few seeds. Fig. 9, 9- Seeds .—all much magnified.
The three British species of Orchidece which Mr. Brown includes in his genus Listera, viz. L . Nidus Avis,
L . ovata &nd L . cordata, have certainly many points in common in the general structure of their flowers. The present
plant however, as does the Bird’s-Nest Listera, differs from the L . ovata most remarkably in the want of a
lieulate process a t the back of the anther.
Turfy‘moors in the alpine parts of Great Britain produce this plant in tolerable plenty: generally, however, the
individuals grow singly, and are a good deal concealed among grass or low shrubs; and for this reason, added to the
minuteness of the stature and the inconspicuous hue of the flowers, the Heart-leaved Listera has been often overlooked,
and considered more rare than it really is. I t blossoms in the month of June.
The roots of this species are by Smith justly compared to those of Ophioglossum vulgatum and Lunaria botry-
oides; and the same author suspects that they are truly perennial, not being merely a cluster of fibres for one year,
which are totally obliterated (whilst a new cluster is forming) the next. A small bud or rudiment o f the future
year’s stem is always seen nestled among the fibres, and this is analogous to one o f the tubers o f the Orchisgenus.
J I t is one of the most distinctly marked of all our Orchideous plants, and a t once known by its diminutive size
and the two cordate leaves which it bears at about the middle of the stem.