Mr. Babington on Habenaria bifolia and chlorantha. 375 



not considering it as identical with that of Reichenbach. As 

 far as can be determined from a dried specimen, my German 

 plant would appear to have had quite as white a hue as those 

 gathered in this county and in other parts of England. My 

 native specimens have the cells of the anther quite as diver- 

 gent as they are represented in the figure quoted above. 



Concerning H. bifolia, Bab., I need say but little. It ac- 

 cords exactly with the only specimen of O. bifolia preserved 

 in the Linnaean Herbarium and with the figure (t. 852. f. 1 144.) 

 of Reichenbach ; and I continue, after the examination of very 

 numerous specimens of both plants, in a living state, to con- 

 sider it as quite distinct from H. chlorantha, Cust. and Bab. 



The Pt. bifolia, Reich., H. fornicata, Bab., must continue 

 to be considered as a very doubtful plant, until we can either 

 obtain authentic specimens from Germany or discover it in 

 England. From not having access to specimens, I have thought 

 myself bound to continue it as a distinct species until the per- 

 manency of its characters can be determined. I have never 

 observed a hooded anther in any of the specimens of H. bifo- 

 lia, Bab., which have come under my notice ; and since the 

 Linnaean Herbarium shows that Reichenbach^s plant is not 

 the true 0. bifolia, Linn., I was obliged to give it a new name. 



Sir W. Hooker not having mentioned the characteristic dif- 

 ferences between the two native plants, I trust that I shall not 

 do wrong by repeating them here for the information of those 

 botanists who do not see the Linnsean Transactions. 



1. H. chlorantha, Bab. Calcare ovario duplo longiore subclavato, labello 

 lineari integerrimo, petalis superioribus conniventibus obtusis, anthera 

 inferne duplo latiore truncata : loculis oblique ascendentibus et apice 

 convergentibus. E. B. t. 22. 



2. H. bifolia, Bab. Calcare ovario duplo longiore subclavato, labello lineari 

 integerrimo, petalis superioribus conniventibus obtusis, anthera oblonga 

 truncata : loculis parallelis. Bab. in E. B. Supp. t. 2806. 



In the former the anther is very large and broad, the bases 

 of its cells twice as far apart as their tops ; the central line 

 between the cells elevated into a prominent ridge in front and 

 grooved on the back ; the stigma is very broad, slightly pointed 

 in the middle, and curved into a semicircular form. 



In H. bifolia the anther is truncate or slightly emargi- 



