ORCHIS, ROOT-STONES: A genus of the diandra order, belonging to the gynandria class of plants; and in the natural method giving name to the seventh order, Orchidæ. Its characters are these: It has a single stalk, with a vague sheath, and no empalement; the flower hath five petals, three without and two within; the nectarium is of one leaf, fixed to the side of the
receptacle, between the division of the petals; the upper lip is short and erect, the under large, broad, and spreading; the tube is pendulous, corniform, or like a horn, and prominent behind; it hath two short slender stamens, fitting upon the pointil, with oval erect summits, fixed to the upper lip of the nectarium; it hath an oblong contorted germen, under the flower, with a short style, fastened to the upper lip of the nectarium; the germen afterwards turns to an oblong capsule, with one cell, having three keel-shaped valves, opening on the three sides, but jointed at top and bottom, filled with small seeds like dust. Miller enumerates 10, and Linnaeus 33 species.
All those sorts of orchis described by Miller grow wild in several parts of England, but on account of the extreme oddness and beauty of their flowers, deserve a place in every good garden; and the reason of their not being cultivated in gardens, proceeds from the difficulty of transplanting them: though this may be easily overcome, where a person has an opportunity of marking their roots, in their time of flowering, and letting them remain until their leaves are decayed, when they may be transplanted with safety; for it is the same with most sorts of bulbous or fleshy-rooted plants, which, if transplanted before their leaves decay, seldom live, notwithstanding you preserve a large ball of earth about them; for the extreme parts of their fibres extend to a great depth in the ground, from whence they receive their nourishment, which if broken or damaged by taking up their roots, seldom thrive after; for though they may sometimes remain alive a year or two, yet they grow weaker until they quite decay; which is also the case with tulips, fritillarias, and other bulbous roots. But if their soil and situation be adapted to their various sorts, they will thrive and continue several years, and during their season of flowering will afford as great varieties as any flowers which are at present cultivated.
The most remarkable species are the following:
1. The mascula, or male fool-stones, hath a root composed of two bulbs, crowned with oblong, broad, spotted leaves; upright-stalks, a foot high; garnished with one or two narrow amplexicaule leaves; and terminated by a long spike of reddish purple flowers, having the petals reflexed backward; a quadrilobed crenated lip to the nectarium, and an obtuse horn. The flowers of this species possess a very agreeable odour. The orchis mascula, Lin. sp. pl. is the most valuable; although the roots of some of the palmated sorts, particularly of the orchis latifolia, are found to answer almost equally well.
2. The morio, or female orchis, hath a double bulbous root, crowned with oblong, ribbed, spreading leaves; erect flower-stalks, eight or ten inches high; garnished with a few amplexicaule leaves; and terminated by a short loose spike of flowers, having connivent petals, a quadrifid crenated lip to the nectarium, and an obtuse horn.
3. The militaris, or man-orchis, hath a double bulbous root, crowned with oblong amplexicaule leaves; erect flower-stalks, eight or ten inches high; terminated by a loose spike of ash-coloured and reddish flowers, having confluent petals; a quinquefid, rough, spotted lip to the nectarium, and an obtuse horn. The structure
Orchis structure of the flowers exhibit the figure of a naked man; and are often of different colours in the same flower, as ash colour, red, brown, and dark-striped.
Ordeal. Culture and Properties. All the orchises are very hardy perennials, with bulbous fleshy roots. The flowers appear in May, June, and July, but principally in June: their mode of flowering is universally in spikes, many flowers in each spike; and each flower is composed of five petals in two series, and a nectarium. The season for removing them is in summer, after they have done flowering, when their leaves and stalks decay: plant them three inches deep, and let them remain undisturbed several years; for the less they are removed, the stronger they will flower.
The roots of all the species have a remarkable resemblance to the scrotum of animals, whence the name. This plant flourishes in various parts of Europe and Asia, and grows in our country spontaneously, and in great abundance. It is assiduously cultivated in the East; and the root of it forms a considerable part of the diet of the inhabitants of Turkey, Persia, and Syria. From it is made the alimentary powder called SALER; which, prepared from foreign roots, is sold at five or six shillings per pound, though it might be furnished by ourselves at the sixth part of that price, if we chose to pay any attention to the culture of this plant. The orchis mascula is the most valued for this purpose. A dry and not very fertile soil is best adapted to its growth.
The proper time for gathering the roots, is when the seed is formed, and the stalk is ready to fall; because the new bulb, of which the saler is made, is then arrived to its full maturity, and may be distinguished from the old one, by a white bud rising from the top of it, which is the germ of the orchis of the succeeding year.
The culture of the orchis is an object highly deserving of encouragement from all the lovers of agriculture. And as the root, if introduced into common use, would furnish a cheap, wholesome, and most nutritious article of diet, the growth of it would be sufficiently profitable to the farmer. See SALER.