ing anthesis or, under adverse conditions, senesce as the 
inflorescence develops. This behavior is genetically deter- 
mined and cannot be altered under cultivation. The roots 
of S. magnicamporum also tend to differ from those of JS. 
cernua in their greater tuberosity (the smaller plant illus- 
trated in the figure possessed abnormally slender roots). 
Many of these characters vary with the vigor of the 
plant and are sometimes difficult to utilize in depauperate 
or stunted individuals. It is of great significance that 
cultivation increases the expression of typical character- 
istics of the two species, even in specimens of previously 
obscure relationships. Under more nearly uniform cul- 
tural conditions, many previously similar individuals of 
the two species diverge greatly in phenotype, thus sup- 
porting the separation here proposed, but further indi- 
cating the difficulty inherent with the group. 
What is here described as Spiranthes magnicamporum 
has also been confused with var. ochroleuca and var. 
odorata. It is not referable to var. ochroleuca, as the 
original description of Gyrostachys ochroleuca (the type 
specimen cannot be located) refers to ‘‘lower stem 
leaves’ which do not occur in S. magnicamporum. The 
tlowers of var. ochroleuca are also evidently smaller than 
those typical of S. magnicamporum. Furthermore, SS. 
magnicamporum is a distinctly western species and ap- 
parently does not occur east of western Ohio, where it 
is disjunct. The type of var. ochroleuca, however, was 
collected in New England. 
Unfortunately, I have not seen var. odorata in the 
field and do not have a satisfactory understanding of it. 
Spiranthes magnicamporum, however, appears to be 
closely allied to it and may represent a northwestern, 
dry, exposed-site counterpart. The aspect of the inflores- 
cences and some floral details of both of these taxa are 
notably similar. They differ in persistence and location 
[ 291 ] 
