1907. 3 ' 1 



THE OCCURRENCE OF 

 SPIRANTHES ROMANZOFFIANA IN CO. ANTRIM. 



BY W. J. C TOMUNSON. 



The occurrence of this extremely rare North American orchid 

 in Co. Antrim was discovered six years ago by Mr. William 

 West, F.L.S., who gathered a single specimen on the 31st 

 July, 190 1, and forwarded it to Mr. R. 1,1. Praeger. Mr. 

 Praeger, in recording the find (/risk Naturalist, vol. x., 1901, 

 p. 171) gives, with praiseworthy indefiniteness, the locality as 

 simply — " between Antrim and Toome." This, to the over- 

 enthusiastic collector was provokingly vague. Still it was 

 on a par with the discreetness displa3 r ed by the same 

 botanist when he first announced, in 1892, his own memorable 

 discovery of the same plant in Co. Armagh. On that occasion 

 the only topographical detail vouchsafed to the public was 

 that it grew in " a wet worked out bog in the northern portion 

 of the county." That Mr. Praeger's reticence as to the exact 

 localities was justifiable there can be no two opinions. Had 

 they been published, the information might in due time have 

 led to the plant's extermination. 



Two years ago I spent several afternoons botanizing about 

 the northern shore of L,ough Neagh, and discovered some 

 new stations, between the Main and the Bann, for a few of the 

 rarer members of our local flora. A lookout was kept for 

 Spirant hes Ro7nanzoffiana, but no orchid new to me was then 

 observed. I now know, however, that my seaich over one 

 particular part of the area was made too early in the season — 

 (end of June) — to have been successful, so far as Spiranthes 

 was concerned. For, on the same ground I have this year 

 had the pleasure of seeing this unique and beautiful orchid 

 growing in greater profusion than, I venture to say, it has 

 ever been the lot of anyone to behold before, at least outside 

 Kamchatka and North America. A similarly early explora- 

 tion of the ground this season brought to my notice a couple 

 of plants, apparently orchids, but unlike in colour of foliage 

 and appearance any of the group with which I was acquainted. 

 Encouraged by a confidential communication from Mr. 

 Praeger, I returned to the same ground on Saturday afternoon, 



