Flora Medica

ORCHIDACEjE.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 335.ORCHIS.Flowers galeate. Sepals nearly equal the ;upper convergingwith the petals into a sort of arch ; the lateral either convergingor reflexed. Petals erect, of about the same size and form asthe upper sepal. Labellum anterior, calcarate, entire, or undivided,connate with the base of the column. Anther erect withcontiguous parallelcells. Pollen-masses granular, with 2 distinctglands enclosed in 1 common pouch (or pouch-like fold ofthe stigma). Terrestrial plants with tubercular roots, andsoft rather flaccid even leaves.It is believed that some species of this genus" furnishes the nutritioussubstance called Salep, or Saloop, so remarkable as the source ofBassorine, and 1221. O. mascula in particular has been named as theplant whose tubercles are collected ;but as that plant does not seem togrow in Turkey or Persia, the countries whence Salep was originallyobtained, there must be some mistake in the statement. It is morelikely to be the produce of 1222. 0. variegata, 1223. taurica, or 1224.militaris. In the Himalayas the tubercles of an Orchis were seen byLieut. Hutton to be collected for use under the name of Salep misri,but the species is not mentioned.BLETIA.Sepals spreading, equal. Petals spreading or converging, aboutthe same size as the sepals. Labellum cucullate, articulatedwith the column, sometimes saccate at the base, 3-lobed, withthe disk generally lamellate or tuberculated. Column long,half-terete. Anther fleshy, 8-celled, terminal, opercular.Pollenmasses8, equal, waxy, adhering by 4 powdery straps. Terrestrialplants, with cormi and plaited leaves.1225. B. verecunda RBr. in hort. kew. v. 206. Lindl g. andsp. orch. 121 Limodorum altum Linn. syst. veg. 680. Jacq.ic. rar. iii. t. 602. West Indies.Leaves ensiform, plaited. Scape branched, erect, 2-3 feet high.Flowers bright purple, showy. Sepals ovate, acute, somewhat spreading.Petals oblong, obtuse, arched over the column. Lip with the middlelobe broader than long and wavy, with numerous crisp, parallel, simpleor occasionally branched ridges of a pale yellow or whitish colour.According to Browne the cormus " is bitterish and attended by a clamminessthat leaves a light prickly warmth behind it ;but this wears offsoon, leaving the palate free from every sensation but that of the bitter.When dried itmay be used with great propriety as a stomachic."577 p p