1904] 



Ames, — Si)iranthe.s ne<;lecta 



29 



than in S. praecox. The diacritical characters wliich distinguish S. 

 ne^/gcta from S. praccox beyond uncertainty are mainly in the lip. 

 The callosities of the latter are decidedly marginal and basal, and 

 the base of the lip passes rather obliquely into the claw behind them. 

 The sides of the basal half of the lip are quite parallel and leave a 

 very narrow, almost imperceptible margin where they pass round the 

 callosities. In S. ne^^hcta, on the other hand, the callosities do not 

 have the appearance of being marginal, and the base of the lip 



Fig. I. Lip of Spiianthes neglccta. 



Fig. 2. I.ip i)f Spir.iiUlu-s ijiaccox. Wats. 



curves gradually into the claw behind them. The sides of the basal 

 half of the lip swell outwards and where they pass round the callosi- 

 ties leave a conspicuous margin. Although in general outline the 

 lip varies from narrowly to broadly ovate and is sometimes lanceo- 

 late, it is always dilated at the proximal half and tapers noticeably to 

 the ape.\. S. praccox is very constant in the lip outline, and wiien 

 spread out the sides at base and near the apex appear to be equi- 

 distant or very nearly so, or sometimes the apical third is broader 

 than the base. 



The blooming season of .V. praecox begins in March in the far 

 South and somewhat later as the northern boundary of its range is 

 approached. 5. iie,i^Iecta does not bloom till August in New England, 

 but in Georgia, which seems to be the southernmo.st limit for it, the 

 flowers open in June. 



