Part 37

CALYX. Spathæ vagæ. Spadix simplex. Perianthium nullum.

COROLLA. Petala quinque; tria exteriora; duo interiora sursum conniventia in galeam.

Nectarium monophyllum, a latere inferiore inter divisuram petalorum receptaculo affixum. Labio superiore erecto, brevissimo. Labio inferiore magno, patente, lato. Tubo postice corniformi, nutante.

STAMINA. Filamenta duo, tenuissima, brevissima, pistillo insidentia. Antheræ obovatæ, erectæ, tectæ duplicatura biloculari labii superioris nectarii.

PISTILLUM. Germen oblongum, contortum, inferum. Stylus adnatus labio superiori nectarii, brevissimus. Stigma compressum, obtusum.

PERICARPIUM. Capsula oblonga, unilocularis, tricarinata, trivalvis; sub carinis trifariam dehiscens, apice et basi cohærens.

SEMINA numerosa, minima.

EMPALEMENT. Sheaths scattered. Fruit-stalk simple. Cup none.

BLOSSOM. Petals five; three outer ones; two inner ones approaching upwards in form of a helmet.

Honey-cup one leaf, fixed by the lower side to the receptacle betwixt the division of the petals. Upper lip upright, and very short. Lower lip large, spreading, broad. Tube standing behind, shaped like a horn, and hanging down.

CHIVES. Two threads, very slender, and very short, fixed on the pointal. Tips inversely egg-shaped, upright, covered by a folding of the upper lip of the honey-cup, forming two cells.

POINTAL. Seed-bud oblong, twisted, and beneath. Shaft fixed to the upper lip of the honey-cup, very short. Summit flattened, and blunt-ended.

SEED-VESSEL. Capsule oblong, of one cell, three keels, three valves; splitting in three places under the keels; fastened at the point, and the base.

SEEDS numerous, very small.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER

Orchis radicibus subpalmatis, expansis; nectarii labio lanceolato, ciliato, cornu torto, longissimo; floribus luteis.

Orchis with roots nearly hand-shaped, spreading; lip of the honey-cup lance-shaped, and fringed, horn twisted, very long; flowers yellow.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Honey-cup with its Horn. 2. The upper Petal. 3. A side Petal. 4. One of the inner Petals. 5. The Chives, and Pointal attached to the horn of the Honey-cup. 6. The Chives, and Pointal, magnified; with the Chives drawn from their cells.

This handsome Orchis is a native of North America, and is found in all the states from Virginia as far north as Canada: it has been treated of by Ray, Morison, Gronovius, Royen, Linnæus, and others; but although so long known by name, it was not introduced to our gardens before the year 1796; having been sent that year from Philadelphia by Mr. J. Lyons, from the gardens of J. Hamilton, Esq. to Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, Hammersmith; at whose nursery it flowered this year, in the month of July, when the drawing was made. It is a hardy herbaceous plant, thriving best in a shady border, and should be planted in a mixture of loam and peat earth. The propagation of this plant, like most of the genus, is difficult, the seeds being too small to be collected, and the root seldom producing more than one bud.

PLATE XLIII.

BIGNONIA LEUCOXYLON.

Oleander-flowered Trumpet Flower.

CLASS XIV. ORDER II.

DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA. Two Chives longer. Seeds covered.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

CALYX. Perianthium monophyllum, erectum, cyathi-forme, quinquefidum.

COROLLA monopetala, campanulata; tubus minimus, longitudine calycis; faux longissima, subtus ventricosa; limbus quinque partitus; laciniis duabus superioribus reflexis; inferioribus patulis.