2828
ORCHIS laxifiora.
Lax-flowered Marsh-Orchis.
GYNANDRIA Monandria.
Gen. Char. Lip spurred. Glands of the stalks of
the pollen masses contained in a. common little
pouch.
Spec. Char. Lip 3-Iobed, the lateral lobes rounded
in front and crenulated, longer than the truncate,
slightly emarginate intermediate one. Spur cylindrical,
emarginate, much shorter than the ger-
men. Lateral sepals reflexed. Upper petals con-
nivent. Tubers undivided.
Syn. O. laxifiora. Lam. FI. Fr. v. 3. 504. Lois. FI.
Gall. v. 2. 264. Sebast. et Mauri FI. Rom. 304.
Bot. Gall. 444. Reich. FI. Excurs. 122.
O. ensifolia. Fill. Dauph. v. 2. 29. IVilld. v. 4. 25.
O. morio fcemina procerior, majori flore. Vaill.
Bot. Par. 150. «.3 1 ./. 33. 34.
m | , ,
a HIS beautiful plant has a root formed of two roundish
oblong undivided tubers and several strong fibres. The
stem is from 1 to 2 feet high, round and smooth, and clothed
with numerous lanceolate or linear-lanceolate leaves, which
have 3 strong ribs and numerous intermediate striae; above
the uppermost leaf the stem is angular, the angles being
rough with prominent teeth. The spike is very la x ; the
bractea nearly as long as the germen, the lower ones 7-
nerved, the uppermost 3-nerved. The flowers are large,
purple, distant; their sepals ovate-oblong, blunt, 5-ribbed,
the two lateral ones reflexed, the intermediate one erect.