O R C H I S mafcula,
Early Purple Orchis.
G YN A N D R IA Dufndria.
G en. C h ar. N eB a r y a fpur behind the flower.
Spec. C h a r . Bulbs undivided. Lip of the nedlary
in four crenate lobes : fpur blunt. Outer petals
reflexed.
$ y n . Orchis mafcula. Linn. Sp. PL 1333. Hudf. 383.
With. 24. Hull. 194. Rett. 333, Sibth. 10. Abbot.
192. Curt. Lond. fafe. 1. t. 62. Dickf. H. Sice,
fafe. 11. 14. With. Med. Rot. t 90.
O. morio mas foliis maculatis. Rati Syn. 376.
T h i s is the firft Orchis that appears in the fpring, and one
of the moft common. Paftures, groves, and fhady dells are
adorned with its purple bloffoms about the end of April or the
beginning of May. Then the Card amine pratenfis, the Saxi-
f raga granulala, or the Cowflip, combine with it to form
jnany a ruftic nofegay, while the Adoxa, diffufing its mutky
feent in vain, is trampled under foot, in the fearch for thefe
more pftentatious flowers.
The root confifts of two large oval bulbs, and is one of thofe
mofl; ufed for making Salep. Leaves radical, lanceolate, broad,
fmooth, ihining, generally more or lefs fpotted with purple
ftains. Stalk a foot high, terminating in a large loofe upright
fpike of purplifli-red flqwers, with bracteje of the fame hue.
Their fpur fvvells towards the point which is obtufe, and
curved upwards. Thg lip is broad, crenate, with two large
fide-lobes, and two intermediate fmall ones, its bafe fpotted.
Three inner petals cohering in a vaulted form; the two outer
ones reflexed upwards. Mr. Curtis in his account of this
plant, has very admirably illuftrated the ftruaure and ceco-
nomy of the tribe to which it belongs. Jacquin’s figure, l c.
rar. v. 1. t. 180, if really intended for this fpecies, does not
give a correct idea of its ufual appearance,