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O R C H I S miHtans* MimJ
f *
Military Orchis.
G Y N A N D R I A Diandria.
Gen. C har. NeStary a fpur behind the flower.
Spec. C har. Bulbs^undivided. Lip of the neflary
five-cleft, rough with points : horn obtufe. Petals
confluent.
Syn. Orchis militaris. Linn. Sp. PI. 1333. HudJ. FI.
An. 384. With. Bat. Arr. 974.
O. magna, latis foliis, galea fufca vel nigricante.
Raii Syn. 378.
1 H E R E are few of the Englilh Orchlfes which can come in
competition with the fpecies here reprefented, in point of elegance.
From a fancied iimilitude in the neftarium to the lhape
of the human body, it has obtained its popular title of Man-
Orchis. In the colour of its flowers it varies confiderably: the
ne&arium indeed generally preferves an uniformity of colour in
moll individuals ; but the petals in fome are of a much deeper
tinge than in others, being frequently of a pale afh colour j
at other times of a brownilh caft, and in fome individuals
even of a deep brownilh purple, which variety is ufually
called the blackilh-flowered Man-Orchis. This fpecies flowers
in the beginning of June, and grows generally on dry and
chalky foils, and in the neighbourhood of woods. It is much
lefs common than feveral others of this genus. As there is
another fpecies of Britilh Orchis which is generally known
by the title of Man-Orchis (and which will hereafter be figured
in the prefent work), we have thought it better to apply the term
Military to this fpecies, taken from the Latin name, which has
been given on account of the refemblance which the upper part
of the flower bears to a helmet.