124 TUK JOUltNAL OF BO TAN V 



Icoiioqrapllie des Orchidees d'Eiirope et dii Basshi Medilerraneen. 

 E. C. AXD A. Ca:mus, 192 L, Folio atlas of 122 plates, with 

 explanatory handbook. With hand-coloured plates, 800 francs ; 

 plain, 100 fr. (Paul Leehavalier, Paris.) 



Ix this fine work the 122 platas comprise over 1700 figures of 

 species, varieties, and numerous hybrids never before figured; twelve 

 of the plates give details of the internal structure generally. In the 

 explanatory handbook some new varieties and hybrids are described, 

 and an alpliabetical index follows the descriptions of the plates; the 

 latter include a large number of hybrids tigured for the first time. 

 In a short notice it is impossible to go into details. The crosses into 

 which Serapias and Orchis morlo enter furnish a fine series of hand- 

 some plants, and the Ophri/s hybrids are numerous and most interest- 

 ing. Each plate has the figures of several full-sized plants and 

 numerous details, usually enlarged. The drawing and colouring are 

 diagrammatic ; the figures will be a valuable guide to the identifica- 

 tion of the forms, especially of the hybrids, although from an artistic 

 standpoint they leave something to be desired. 



The notes which follow are suggested by a comparison of the plates 

 with the forms familiar to us as British. Anacanqjtis pi/ramidulis 

 has much broader leaves and paler fiowersthan we have ever seen in this 

 country. An interesting form of Orchis mascula is figured, with 

 very numerous tiny marks on both sides of the leaves. Bicchia 

 albida has a more pyramidal spike and more pointed leaves than any 

 forms known to us. The figure of Epipactis viridljlora shows a 

 well-marked rostellum, and its afiinity to E. latifolia is plain, in 

 accordance with Col. Godfery's recent papers in this Journal. 



Turning to the Marsh and Spotted Orchids, the details of which 

 are at times somewhat inadequate, we see no figure that could be 

 assio'ned to Orchis prcBfermissa Druce ; the nearest form is named 

 as a robust form of O. incaniata, but to us the lip suggests rather 

 O. latifolia. The figure of O. elodes Grriseb. is that of a slender 

 plant of 21 cm., with erect sepals and a stout spur, and very small 

 centre-lobe of the lip ; the habit and lip-form suggest a variety of 

 O. ericetorum Linton, but the stout spur and erect sepals certainlv d-o 

 not. Strangely enough, no figure is given of typical O. maculata, 

 but some varieties are represented. Of these, \a.r. palicsfris G. Camus 

 is a robust form with large fiowers and very small centre-lobe of the 

 lip ; var. media G. Camus is short and stout, with a rather larger 

 centre-lobe. The only forms in this plate which approach the British 

 O. Fachsii Druce are var. trilobata Breb., which has an exceedingly 

 long centre-lobe, and var. hrachysfachijs A. Camus. It is to be 

 noted that most of the forms figured, including O. elodes, are shown 

 with fully erect sepals ; whereas the rule for British forms is that in 

 O. Fuchsii they are half-erect, and in O. ericetorum drooping or not 

 verv stiff. A good deal remains to he done in careful collation of the 

 British and Continental forms of this group. 



The hybrids of Gijmnadema coriopsea are interesting; one given 

 of G. conopsea X O. maculata is very like what we find here in the 

 case of O. ericetorum, and a cross with var. hrachustachi/s is more 



