1885.] NOTES ON BRITISH ORCHIDS. 255 



Geniis 6. — Malaxis. — In general stature resembling Lipcirin, but distinguished 

 as a genus from it by the waxy pollen miusses which are in two pairs, and susj)ended 

 from a gland which terminates the column. 



There is but one sj>ecies, M. paludosa. 



M. paludosa. — A slender plant rarely more than four inches in height, and 

 with three or four glaucous, upright, oval-shaped leaves neai' the base of the 

 stem. 



The leaves are rough or sliglitly fringed at the extremity. Flower stem 

 angular and smooth, unless at the base, where it is sheathed with white scivles, 

 T>eiu-ing a rather loose, elongated raceme of small greenish-yellow flowers, having 

 the lip and two of the sepals erect, the third sepal being turned downward. 



Petals and sepals much reflexed. 



This, perhaps the smallest and most delicate of our native orchids, 

 is generally though not abundantly distributed throughout Britain. 

 The minute grass-like appearance of the plant, which renders it very 

 difficult of recognition, as well as the treacherous positions in which 

 it delights to grow, may explain the scarcity of individual plants. 

 Its favourite haunts are the edges of mountain lakes and swamps, 

 where, growing on trembling sods of bog, moss, or sphagnum, it 

 almost dares one to venture with impunity. In this county it 

 occurs sparingly in several districts, notably in a marsh near 

 Llanberris, and along the borders of Aber Lake, both high-lying 

 mountain situations. This orchid is a true epiphyte, thus as it were 

 illustrating for us the habits of that large group of epiphytal tropical 

 orchids which are now so ardently cultivated in our gardens. 

 Although both this species and Liparis Lceseli show a tendency to 

 be epiphytal, still they will also grow as terrestrial species, just as 

 do the Cattleyas and Dendrobes of our hothouses, which in Brazil 

 and India are true epiphytes. The rootstock of Malaxis produces a 

 small egg-shaped, solid bulb, almost above ground, or rather amongst 

 the herbage where it grows, and with a few small descending 

 rootlets. This tiny pseudo-bulb resembles in no small degree those 

 of some tropical species of Dcndrobmm. 



As before stated, the lip of this orchid is, unlike most others, 

 directed upwards, which has been brought about by the spiral 

 twisting of the ovarium. The labellum or lip is in all orchids 

 properly directed upwards, but assumes its usual position on the 

 lower side of the flower by the twisting of the ovarium ; Ijut in 

 Malaxis the twisting has been carried so far tliat the flower occupies 

 the position which it would have held if the ovarium had not been 

 at all twisted, and which the ripe ovarium afterwards assumes by a 

 process of gradual untwisting. This is well illustrated in Darwin's 

 Fertilization of Orchids. 



By transfeiTing the plant to a damp, shady corner of the 

 garden during the growing season, and with a good patch of sphagnum 

 attached, it will perfect the flower, and thus give ample opportunities 

 for investigation, but with me it has never reappeared. 



