2o6 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 



character from the surrounding ones will be indicated at once. To the in- 

 structor they are essential service, enabling him to say to his class: — the red is 

 this and the green that, and so leaves no possible ground for misunderstanding- 



J. T. ROTHROCK. 



Epipactis Helleborine, var. viridens {E. viridiflora, Reichenbaclv 

 a North American plant. — The Ladies' Botanical Club, of Syracuse? 

 N. Y., has recently made a most interesting discovery, which I am de- 

 sired to announce in the Botanical Gazette. In a pine wood near 

 Syracuse, early in August, one of the members of that spirited society, Mrs. 

 Church, found this European Epipactis, growing along with Pogonia pendula 

 and Corallorhiza multiflora. Two specimens only were collected, one o^^ 

 which was sent to me by Mrs. Rust, the president of the club; and on a 

 second visit, the members of the club lound three or four more specimens. 

 The plant appears to be exactly the E. viridiflora of Reichenbach, well 

 figured in the Iconographia Florae Germanicse, which, peculiar as it seems 

 to be, is reduced by Irmisch to a variety of E. Helleborine. The type is 

 not wholly new to North America, for E. gigantea is a California species, 

 which also inhabits Texas. Orchids are the least introducible of plants, 

 and I should have no doubt that this is truly indigenous in this only known 

 American station. It is to be noted that it is found in the district which 

 is alwiost alone in possessing Scolopendrium (the indigenous character of 

 which is confirmed by several localities, all in completely wild stations) also 

 Botrychiuin Lunaria, a third European species of rare occurence in this 

 country. — A. Gray. 



The Syracuse Botanical Club. — Following the finding of Epipactis 

 Helleborine it may be of interest to the readers of the Gazette to know 

 something about the rise and progress of this energetic club composed 

 entirely of ladies. The idea of a club seemed first to find its origin in ^ 

 c\as?, organized for the purpose of studying Botany. This class was formed 

 only last January and out of that start has grown a club that is doing good 

 work and bids fair to verify the saying "by their fruits (and flowers) ye 

 shall know them." The club was first called the Rust Botanical Club, 

 but at the request of Mrs. Rust herself it was changed to the present name. 

 The club meets weekly for work and study and monthly to transact business. 

 The first sUidy undertaken was that of their native ferns, a collection having 

 been made by their Secretary, Mrs. F. J. Myers. They report having 

 thoroughly worked up the 40 species found in Onondaga County, and 

 have published a list of the same. Then the spring found them ready 



