1^21 [ Eames, — An unusual Form of Habenaria clavellata 127 



district I found a tract which was roughly a half a mile long and a 

 quarter of a mile wide, containing small scattered colonies of Haben- 

 aria clavchafa in full bloom. A careful examination of more than one 

 hundred plants throughout this area, showed that the blossoms of 

 at least cne fourth of them (probably more) had the end of their 

 spurs div ded into two distinct divergent lobes. The accompanying 

 plate (131) shows this peculiarity so clearly that no further de- 

 scription is needed. The three specimens, which by no means re- 

 present extreme cases, are shown approximately full size. 



This departure from the usual form of spur in this orchid is so 

 unusual, if not actually unique, and so different in kind from the 

 examples mentioned above, that it seems to me to be not only of 

 considerable interest in itself, but worthy of record. Indeed, from 

 the abundance of such plants at this station, I am inclined to wonder 

 if this peculiarity may not be expected to continue to appear in their 

 succeeding generations. If this should prove to be the case, it may 

 then be reasonable to consider whether they do not constitute a true 

 variety. 



In this connection, it seems to me to be well worth while to learn 

 whether this division of the spur-tip is persistent or not in this locality, 

 and to this end I would be very glad to hear from some local botanist 

 who would be willing to report on these plants next summer. 



Buffal3, New York. 



THE SOIL REACTIONS OF SPIRANTHES CERNUA AND 

 ITS RELATIVES. 



Edgar T. Wherry. 



In "Observations on the soil acidity of Ericaceae and associated 

 plants in the Middle Atlantic States", J the range of Spiranthcs crrnua 

 (Ibidium cernuum) was given as from specific acidity 300 to 3, with 

 optimum at 30. This is an unusually wide range for a single species 

 (or variety), and it was suspected that the plants tested might not 

 all be the same, although no opportunity for studying them more 

 critically came to the writer. The matter has now been cleared up by 

 Mr. Ames' recent article, " Notes on New England orchids, — I. Spiran- 



1 Proc. Anad. Xat. Sci. Phila., 1920, 110. 



