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P L A T E CCCCLXXV.
S E R A P I A S CORDIGERA.
Heart-hearing Serapias.
CLASS XX. ORDER L
GYNANDRIA DIANDRIA. Chives on the Pointal. Two Chives.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
C O R O L L A 5 pétala, ringens : petalis connivcntibus:
labello nectarii ecalcarato: lamina deflexa
: antherae styli longitudine, adnatas.
SPECIFIC
S E R A P I A S foliis lanceolatis glaucis, adbasinmaculatis.
Nectarium tripartitum, ferragineuni:
laciniis lateralibus obtusis, erectis, conniventibus:
divisio media ovata, acuminata,
pilosa, dependens : corollis implicatis, apice ,
involutis, . extus pallentibus, ijitus fusco
pui-purascentibus.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. The flower spread open.
2. The lip of the honey-cup.
3. The chives and pointal, with the spur of the honey-cup, magnified.
Fok this luxuriant specimen of the Serapias cordigera we are indebted to the Right Hon. the Marquis
of Blandford. It is a rare plant, of a curious structure but very sombre aspect. It is one of those
numerous divisions of the class Gynandria approaching the genus Ophrys on the one side, and -NTeottia
on the other. From the Ophrys it is not easily distinguished; but from Neoltia it is separated by the
difference of its habit. This plant is well known by the title of cordigera, a specific derived from tlie
resemblance the lip of the nectarium is supposed to bear to the shape of a heart : but the analogy is
certainly not very powerful. The flowers remain a considerable time in perfection. It is indigenous
tf) Spain, Barbary, Italy, &c.
w
BLOSSOM 5 petals, gaping : petals approaching
together. The lip of the honey-cup growing
from the spur: the lip bending downwards.
The chives the length of the style^
and attached to it.
CHARACTER.
S E R A P I A S with lance-shaped glaucous leaves
spotted at the base. Honey-cup threedivided,
and of a rusty colour : the side segments
obtuse, upright, and approaching: the
middle division is ovate, shaip-pointed, hairy,
and hanging down. Blossom folded together,
and turned inwards at the point, pale-coloured
on the outside, and of a purply brown
on the inside.
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