352 MR. G. BENTHAM OX OECHTDE^. 



ranean region, has the perianth usually so different in form from 

 that of Orchis, that it is universally retained as a distinct genus ; 

 and yet there occur occasionally, especially in Italy, where 8. 

 cordigera and 8. hngipetala are abundant, a few individuals more 

 or less intermediate between these and Orchis longiflora or O. 

 papilionacea, which have been published as a species under the 

 name ofSerapias triloba, Yiv., or as a genus as Isias of DeNotaris. 

 These are believed by Grrenier and Godron and some others to be 

 hybrids, whilst others say that the circumstances under which 

 they have been found do not justify the supposition. Aceras, E. 

 Br., is now limited to the single A. anthropophora, R Br., from the 

 Mediterranean region and Western Europe, a species nearly allied 

 to the section Loroglossum of Orchis, with which some botanists 

 would unite it. Ophrys, Linn., the only genus with separate 

 pouches for the two glands, is a very natural one, chiefly abun- 

 dant in the Mediterranean region, but generally dispersed over 

 Europe. The species, distinguished mostly by the shape and 

 markings of the labellum, are very variable, and have been as 

 variously estimated from under twenty to above thirty. 



Subtribe 2. Habknabieje. — These are distinguished from Sera- 

 piadeaj by the glands of the pollinarium being detached from the 

 surface or end of the rostellum without any enclosing pouch, a 

 character usually very plain ; but there are some species in which 

 the surface or end of the rostellum is slightly raised round the 

 glands, so that they have been differently described as naked, half 

 covered, or enclosed in a pouch. These species are, however, so 

 very few as not materially to invalidate the suhtribual character. 

 Eor our ' Genera Plantarum ' we have admitted into the subtribe 

 thirteen genera, three with a spurless perianth {Herminium, Sieno- 

 (jlotlis, and Amofiia), and ten with a more or less spurred labellum 

 (Bartholina, Huttoncea, Holothrix, Bicornella, Habenaria, Diplo- 

 meris, Bonatea, Cynorchis, Hemipilia, and Glossula). 



Herminium, B. Br., comprises about six European and Asiatic 

 species, chiefly distinguished from the small-flowered Habenaria; 

 by the want of the spur. It was originally founded on the 

 H. Monorchis ; but Lindley added to it a few others, including 

 H. alpinum or Chamorchis, L. C. Eich., in which the front of the 

 perianth or labellum is turned downwards instead of upwards, a 

 character which varies in more than one Orchideous genus. "We 

 would also refer to Herminium the Aceras angustifolia, Lindl., 

 proposed as a genus by Falconer under the name of Thisbe, and 



