1885.] NOTES ON BRITISH ORCHIDS. 133 



XOTUS ON BBITISH ORCHIDS. 



BY A. D. WEBSTER. 

 XO. II. 



0. morio (green- winged Orchis). — Tubers round or globose, and seldona so 

 large as those of 0. mascula. Leaves lanceolate, almost radical, and with a slight 

 silvery hue overlying the otherwise dull green. Flowers in a loose spike, scentless, 

 and usually purple, although forms with crimson, violet, and white tiowei's are not 

 uncommon. Upper petals distinctly marked with green veins, which is a decided 

 characteristic of the plant. Lip three-lobed, crenate, longer than the sepals, pale 

 with purplish spots. Spur obtuse, ascending, and shorter than ovary. 



THIS orchid, an occupant of rieli meadow-land, is readily distin- 

 guished from any other by the green veins which mark the upper 

 petals, and from which the popular name of green-winged Orchis is 

 derived. It is, however, not unfrequently confounded with the 

 green-leaved form of 0. mascula, more especially when in a young 

 state ; indeed, when the plants are destitute of flowers, the differences 

 are by no means easy of distinction, even to those who are j)erfectly 

 familiar with the plants. On a close examination, the leaves of 

 0. morio are found to be narrower and more acute than those of 

 0. mascula, and with a slight silvery hue ; but this latter is most 

 noticeable in young plants, and less so when advanced in growth. 

 To me the plants of 0. morio, when compared with onascula, always 

 appear, if I may use the term, somewhat dull, as if grown in a 

 field adjoining a dusty road or path ; but this is always most 

 apparent in full-grown specimens. It is a rather diminutive plant, 

 rarely exceeding a foot in height, but more generally three-fourths 

 that size, and with from six to ten pretty purple and white flowers 

 very loosely placed upon the stem. It is one of our earliest species 

 to start into growth, the foliage frequently appearing above ground 

 during winter, although the flowers do not expand till about the 

 beginning of summer. This plant is readily cultivated, but should 

 be planted on a rather dry eminence amongst good loamy soil. 

 There are several very distinct forms of this plant as distinguished 

 by the colour of flowers ; one of these being white, another pink, 

 and another deep violet. The popular names of this orchid, which 

 are many and rather perplexing, have at various times formed the 

 subject of comment. There can, however, be but little doubt that 

 Shakespeare alludes to 0. raascula, and not to 0. morio, as one of 

 the flowers which helped to compose the garland of Ophelia : — 



" There with fantastic garlands did she come. 

 Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long i^urples 

 That liberal shepherds give a grosser name. 

 But our cold maids do dead men^s fingers call them,'"' 

 K 



