5 0
GYMNADENIA CONOPSEA. FRAGRANT GYM-
NADENIA.
GYMNADENIA conopsea.
GYMNADENIA conopsea. Br. in Hort. Kew. ed. 2. vol. 5. p . \ 9 \ • Hook. FI. Scot. P . I. p. 251.
Rich, in Mém. du Mus. vol. 4. p. 57.
ORCHIS conopsea. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1335. Huds. Angl. p. 385. Lightf . Scot, p . 5 18. Fl. Dan.
t. 224. With. Bot. A rr. ed. 4. vol. 2. p. 28. Hoffm. Germ. ed. 2. vol. 1.
P . II. 0. 175. Willd. Sp. PI. vol. 4. p. 32. Smith Fl. Brit. p. 926. Engl. Bot.
t. 10. Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. vol. 3. p. 252. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 170. Pers. Syn.
PI. vol. 2. p. 505. Wahl. Fl. Lapp. p. 215.
ORCHIS radicibus palmatis, calcare longissimo, labello trifido, obtuso, unicolore. Hall. Helv. n. 1287.
t. 29-
PALM ATA rubella cum longis calcaribus rubellis. Red-handed Orchis with long spurs. Raü Syn.
p. 381.
Class a n d O r d e r . GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA.
[N a tu r a l Or d e r . ORCHIDEÆ, Juss., Decand., B r ., Hook.]
G e n . Ch a r . Cor. ringens. Labellum basi subtus calcaratum. Glandulæ pedicellorum pollinis nudæ approximate.
B r.
G e n . Ch a r . Cor. ringent. Lip spurred beneath at the base. Glands o f the stalks o f the pollen naked and
approximate.
Ra d ix e bulbis duobus palmatis fibrisque paucis simpli-
cibus carnosis teretibus.
Ca u l is subpedalis, erectus, teres, striatus, simplex,
foliosus.
F olia angustelanceolata, erecto-patentia, acuta, carinata,
substriata, pallide viridia ; superiora sensim
minora, bracteiformia.
Spica oblonga, subacuminata, multiflora.
Bracteæ lineari-lanceolate, acuminate, inferiores præ-
cipue germinibus longiores.
F lores purpurei, immaculati, raro albi, odorati.
P e ta la tria exteriora patentia, margine reflexa, quorum
superius ovatum, duo lateralia obovato-cuneata ;
interiora (duo) ovata, approximata, antheram te-
gentia : Labellum deflexum, trifidum, segmentas
obtusis, intermedio paululum longiore : Cornu filiforme,
flexuosum, germine longius.
Ge rm e n lineari-oblongum, sulcatum, subtortuosum,
viride.
Columna perbrevis.
St igm a subquadratum, concavum.
A n th er a terminalis, late ovata, basi utrinque appen-
diculata (antheræ abortivoe), bilocularis, loculis
basi perforatis, longitudinaliter dehiscentibus.
Massæ P o ll in is clavatæ, flavæ, basi glandulosoe ; glan-
dulis oblongis, approximatis, nudis.
Fig. 1. Side view of a flower. Fig. 2. Back view of
petals. Fig. 4. Anther. Fig. 6. Pollen-mass.
Root composed o f two palmated bulbs and o f a few
simple, rounded fleshy fibres.
Stem about a foot high, erect, rounded, striated, simple,
leafy.
Leaves narrow lanceolate, erecto-patent, acute, cari-
nated, substriated, pale green; the upper ones
gradually smaller and resembling the bracteas.
Sp ik e oblong, subacuminate, many-flowered.
Bracteas linear-lanceolate, acuminate, the lower ones
especially longer than the germens.
Flowers purple, spotless, rarely white, sweet-scented.
T h r e e exterior petals patent, reflexed at the margin, o f
which the upper one is ovate, and the two lateral
ones obovato-cuneate; interior ones (two in number)
ovate approximate, covering the anther:
Lip deflexed, trifid, with the segments obtuse,
the intermediate one a little the lon g est: Spur
filiform, flexuose, longer than the germen.
G e rm e n linear-oblong, fun-owed, somewhat twisted,
green.
Column very short.
St igm a subquadrate, concave.
A n t h e r terminal, broadly ovate, appendiculated on each
side at the base (abortive anthers), two-celled,
with the cells perforated below, opening longitudinally.
Pollen Masses clavate, yellow, glandular at the ba se ;
with the glands oblong, approximate, naked.
a flower. Fig. 3. Flower seen in front deprived o f its
This species of Orchis, remarkable for the delightful fragrance of its flowers, is found in moist and hilly pastures
in several parts of the kingdom, but no where perhaps more abundantly than in the mountainous districts,
especially the Highlands of Scotland. I t often grows at a great elevation upon the mountains; and in the Hebrides
the fragrance is perceptible as you walk along from the great profusion of plants that are met with.
The G. conopsea bears some resemblance, at first sight, to the Orchis pyramidalis; but a slight inspection of
the structure of the flowers will afford very important marks not only of specific but generic distinction. Here the
glands of the pollen-masses are not inclosed in a little pouch (as in Orchis), but are completely uncovered, large,
and standing close together; in which particular the genus Gymnadenia differs from the Habenaria of Mr. Brown.
The pollen varies sometimes from yellow, to a dingy green.
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