MR. HEMSLEY ON PLATANTHERA CHLORANTHA, VAR. TRICALCARATA, 3 
lobes partially split. Before the stigmas separate there appears to be oneonly, 
but Hooker's 1 to 315 probably a misprint for 2 (as in Lyallia), very rarely 3. 
Altogether there сап be no doubt that Hectorella cwspitosa and Lyallia 
kerguelensis are closely related plants, the former being the more primitive 
type, and being still in a plastic condition as regards its flower. — Zectorella is 
peeuliar in having lost or never having developed its petals. In the former 
case an outer, and in the latter case an inner row of 5 stamens has probably 
been lost. In Lyallia the reduction is carried further, the seeds being 
reduced usually to 1, the stamens to 3, and the perianth-segments to 4, and 
being more distinetly united at their bases. It is worthy of note that 
gamophylly, indicating as it does floral specialization, is very commonly 
coupled with a reduction in the number of stamens. 
If we include Hectorella with the Alsinoides-Polycarpes: along with 
Lyallia and Pycnophyllum, the question at once arises as to whether the 
“ sepals” in the Portulacacez as a whole are not capable of the same inter- 
pretation, in which case it would be difficult to avoid including the 
Portulacaceze as a sub-group of the Caryophyllacese. That is, however, a 
matter for further discussion. 
/ 
DLATANTHERA CHLORANTHA, Custgr, var. TRICALCARATA, Hemsl. 
Ву W. Borrixa Нему, F.R.S., F.L.S. 
(PLATE 1.) 
[ Read 17th January, 1907.) 
In June 1906, Miss D. В. Wilson, of Pax, Sherborne, Dorset, sent to Kew 
a painting of a British Orchid, which she at first took to be Platanthera 
bifolia, but she afterwards came to the conclusion that it could not be that 
plant, because it was so different in floral structure. Awaiting a reply, 
Miss Wilson had fortunately preserved the specimen in water, and offered to 
send it to Kew if required. Naturally the offer was accepted, and Miss M. 
Smith has made the more detailed drawings which I now exhibit and fully 
illustrate the nature of the morphological transformation which the flowers 
have undergone. But before describing it I will give Miss Wilson's original 
note :—“ I enclose a painting of an orchid which I found on June 12th, and 
which I cannot identify. It was growing among Butterfly, Tway-blade, and 
Spotted Orchis in a grass drive along the border of a wood. It is sweet- 
scented, like Habenaria bifolia, and at first sight I took it for that plant. On 
examination, however, I saw that it had three spurs, very narrow sepals, and 
the two lateral petals curved back like horns. The flowers are also tilted 
upwards, so that the lip turns up, the spurs down, and the central parts lie 
horizontal, not perpendieular as in other orchids." 
B 2 
