1885. J NOTES ON BRITISH ORCHIDS. 179 



H. hifolia (Butterfly Habeuaria). — Tubers entii'e, carrot-shaped, and taperiiif 

 to a fibrous point. Stem angular or ribbed, from 12 to 15 inches in length, an3 

 with two, rarely three, broadly ovate or elliptical leaves at the base. Flowei-s in 

 a rather loose oblong spike, white or yellowish white, except a greenish tinge on 

 the lip and sjnir. Lip sj^ear-shaped, cylindrical, and entire. Spur twice as 

 long as the ovaiy. 



This, the most ornamental plant of the genus, is widely distri- 

 Luted over Britain, occurring in open woods, meadows, and downs 

 from sea-level up to great elevations. It is found in a great variety 

 of soils — peat, loam, clay, and sandy — but prefers and attains to 

 greatest perfection in rather moist, rich brown clayey loam. Than 

 this simple tenant of our woods and downs, few plants are more 

 delicately beautiful and interesting. The flowers, which, more espe- 

 cially in the evening after a shower of rain, are deliciously fragrant, 

 are produced on stout stems of over a foot in length. Usually the 

 flowers are rather lax, but this is not constant, as specimens with 

 very compact heads are by no means uncommon. Little or no 

 variation either in the colour or structure of the flowers of this 

 species exists, although the name of H. cldorantlia has, especially 

 by some of the older botanists, been bestowed on large-flowered 

 specimens of H. hifolia, and which have the anther cells more 

 broadly diverging at the base. That certain classes of soil alter the 

 general appearance of this orchid is readily admitted, but in none of 

 these specimens are the differences either suflBciently distinct or 

 constant to warrant the plants being raised to a separate species. 

 This remark, although it may meet with a rebuff, is simply the 

 waiter's belief after years of careful attention to the plant in a 

 district where ample opportunities have been afforded for its study 

 under various circumstances as regards quabty of soil, altitude, and 

 situation. 



When found growing in strong, heavy, rather damp loam, the 

 plant is always most luxuriant, the leaves and flowers being much 

 larger, and the latter of better 'substance and colour than when 

 grown in poor, half-starved soils. Let any one who wishes to try 

 the experiment carefully transplant a specimen of the extreme 

 type, or what has been named H. cldorantlia, into poor, rather dry 

 soil, and in a wonderfully short space of time he will arrive at the 

 above conclusions, and that the extreme type is simply the result of 

 soil in every way suitable for the healthy development of the plant. 

 The position of the viscid discs goes for little, as in this district 

 intermediates passing gradually from the broad to the narrower forms 

 are not imcommon. 



Darwin, in his Fertilization of Orchids, writes as follows regarding 

 Hcd)cnaria hifolia, or the Lesser Butterfly orchis : — " I am aware 

 that this form and the last {H. cldorantlui) are considered by Mr. 



