CLASS XX.

GYNANDRIA.

"For him, the Spring

Distils her dews, and from the silken gem
Its lucid leaves unfolds: for him, the hand
Of Autumn tinges every fertile branch

With blooming gold, and blushes like the morn.
Each passing hour sheds tribute from her wings;
And still new beauties meet his lonely walk,
And loves unfelt attract him.-

-Nor thence partakes

Fresh pleasure only: for the attentive mind,
By this harmonious action on her powers,
Becomes herself harmonious: wont so oft
In outward things to meditate the charm
Of sacred order, soon she seeks at home
To find a kindred order, to exert
Within herself this elegance of love,
This fair inspir'd delight: her temper'd
Refine at length, and every passion wears
A chaster, milder, more attractive mein."

powers

AKENSIDE.

I. MONANDRIA.

Anther of 2 distinct vertical cells, fixed to the summit of the

column.

260. ORCHIS. Nectary with a spur behind.

** Anther parallel to the stigma, of 2 cells close together, permanent. 261. LISTERA. Calyx spreading; nectary without a spur, nearly flat; petals spreading; column without wings.

*** Anther terminal, fixed,

262. EPIPACTIS. Nectary without a spur, tumid underneath at the base, contracted in the middle, undivided at the end.

I. MONANDRIA.

260. ORCHIS.

* Knobs of the root roundish, undivided.

1. O. bifolia, leaves usually 2, elliptical; knobs of the root oval, taper-pointed; lip of the nectary lanceolate, entire, about half the length of its very long spur; lateral calyx-leaves spreading downwards. Butterfly Orchis.

Hab. Marshy places, and also on heaths. Bogs below
Shoreswood, and on Ancroft Moor, sparingly, Dr Thomp-
son. Doddington Moor, at the 13 mile-stone, plentiful.
Coldingham Moor. June.

The flowers are in a long loose spike, yellowish-white, and
in the evening exhale the scent of the sweetest honey-
suckle. I have gathered a curious specimen, in which the
nectary had 2 spurs and 2 lips of the usual size and length,
4 calyx leaves, and petals unusually elongated, while the
germen contained 4 capsules.

2. O. mascula, knobs of the root oval; lip of the nectary 4cleft, crenate, spur obtuse; calyx-leaves 3-ribbed, 2 lateral ones reflexed upwards. Early Purple Orchis.

Hab. Pastures frequent. Very abundant on our seabanks. May. ¥

Salep is prepared principally from the roots of this species. For the manner of its culture and preparation, I must refer to Dr HUNTER'S Georgical Essays, York, 1777, and

to WITHERING's Botany. The leaves are generally spotted with black, but we have frequently observed them entirely green. The flowers are purple, and are believed to be the "Long-purples" of SHAKSPEARE, with which poor OPHELIA formed her fantastic garlands.

"There is a willow grows ascaunt the brook,

That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream;
Therewith fantastick garlands did she make
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and Long-purples,
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,

But our cold maids do Deadmen's fingers call them.”

** Knobs of the root palmate.

3. O. latifolia, stem hollow; leaves unspotted; knobs imper. fectly palmate; lip of the nectary convex, crenate, slightly 3cleft, spur conical; bracteas longer than the flowers. Marsh Orchis.

Hab. Marshes and moist meadows, common. June.

4. O. maculata, knobs palmate, spreading; lip of the nectary flat, crenate, 3-lobed, spur cylindrical, rather shorter than the germen; bracteas shorter than the flowers. Spotted Orchis. Hab. Meadows and pastures, common. July.

Leaves spotted with black. Flowers pale purple or white, streaked with dark lines. We have examined numerous specimens, and uniformly find the bracteas longer than the germens, green with crimson edges. The anthers are yellowish, as well as the pollen, and, when touched at the base of the filaments, readily separate, and adhere to the needle, as much, perhaps, from their irritability, as from their glutinous quality.

5. O. conopsea, knobs palmate; lip of the nectary in 3 entire equal lobes, spur very slender, twice as long as the germen; calyx widely spreading. Aromatic Orchis.

Hab. Moist meadows and pastures, not uncommon. "In a marshy field near Edington Moor, Berwickshire," Rev. A. Baird. Castle hills, in the field adjoining Spring-gardens. Sea-banks at Hudshead. Longridge dean, &c. July.

The flowers are rather small, of an uniform crimson colour, and exhale a delicious odour, resembling that of a Clove Pink. We have observed the spikes sometimes entirely without flowers, bearing bracteas only.

261. LISTERA.

1. L. ovata, stem with only a pair of elliptical opposite leaves; flowers yellowish-green, numerous; nectary with 2 linear-oblong nearly parallel lobes; column with a posterior hood. Common Twayblade.

Haiden dean.

Hab. Moist pastures, not uncommon.
Woods below Claribed Mill, Dr Thompson. Boggy
ground at the four mile-stone on the Ayton road. June,
July.

2. L. cordata, stem with only 2 heart-shaped opposite leaves; flowers greenish-brown, small, scarcely more than 10; nectary with 4 lobes. Heart-leaved Twayblade.

Hab. "Buncle Wood," Berwickshire, Rev. A. Baird.
July, Aug.

3. L. Nidus-avis, leaves none; stem clothed with sheathing scales; flowers pale brown, in a many-flowered cylindrical cluster; nectary with 2 spreading lobes. Bird's-Nest Listera.

Hab. Woods at Netherbyres, Berwickshire, Rev. A.
Baird. May, June.

262. EPIPACTIS.

1. E. palustris, leaves lanceolate, clasping the stem; flowers drooping, large, white tinged with purple'; lip rounded, obtuse, crenate, as long as the petals, with a notched protuberance on the disk. Marsh Helleborine.

Hab. Rough boggy places. Haiden dean. Field below the Old Lamberton Toll. In the Pond field above Spindlestone. July.

CLASS XXI.

MONECIA.

"He looks abroad into the varied field

Of Nature, and, though poor, perhaps, compared
With those whose mansions glitter in his sight,
Calls the delightful scenery all his own.

His are the mountains, and the valleys his,

And the resplendent rivers."

COWPER.

I. MONANDRIA.

263. EUPHORBIA. Involucrum with numerous barren flowers, and 1 fertile. BARREN FLOWER-calyx none; corolla none. FERTILE FLOWER-calyx none; corolla none; capsule 3-lobed; styles 3, cloven.

264. ZANNICHELLIA. Involucrum none.

BARREN FLOWER

calyx none; corolla none. FERTILE FLOWER-calyx of 1 leaf; corolla none; germens 4, or more; seeds 4, stalked; stigmas peltate. (Aquatic.)

II. TRIANDRIA.

266. SPARGANIUM. BARREN FLOWER-calyx 3-leaved; corolla none. FERTILE FLOWER-calyx 3-leaved; corolla none; drupe dry. (Flowers in round balls.)