THE GENUS EPirvCTIS IN BRITAIN 211 



with the others. Also, there iiitiy be 8 l)osses on the lip combined 

 with anj/ 2}ossibIe type of leaf-scheme, broad or narrow, bracts large 

 or small, narrowing from the leaves graduall}^ or suddenly. We think, 

 therefore, that JE. airoviricHs cannot be a valid species, but that it is 

 a term only applicable to some specimens of E. latifolia. 



iii. We come, therefore, to the conclusion that lip-bosses and 

 details of leaf-scheme are so very unstable that they cannot possibly 

 be considered good specific characters, and should be dropped ; that 

 the common British species is E. latifolia, and that '■^ media'''' and 

 *^ afroviridis'' should be merged in it and allowed to lapse. The 

 species is obviously very variable in minor details, but could not be 

 mistaken for any of the others, in our experience. It may or may 

 not be possible to distinguish varieties within it. The Hower may be 

 almost any colour, from deep purple (and this may grow in deep 

 shade !) to greenish of various kinds, and nearly white. 



iv. The suggestion will, of com'se, be made that E. latifolia, E. 

 media, and E. atroviridis are really distinct but hybridize freely. 

 We do not think this to be the case. We have had a good deal of 

 practice in the detection of hybrids, and in the genus Orchis have 

 found that it is possible with fair certainty to distinguish clearly 

 definite species among the palmate forms, and to identify hybrids 

 between them : there are stable characters for distinction. In Epi- 

 pactis, however, the variation in the E. latifolia group is quite 

 a different sort of thing, and to distinguish species and hybrids is not 

 possible. When a hybrid in this genus does come forward it can be 

 clear at once — we have a fine specimen from Orassington of E. atro- 

 jyurpureay E. latifolia, about which there is no doubt. 



We may now consider the accompanying Plate in more detail, 

 which will illustrate some of the above points. We cannot unfortu- 

 natel^' afford to print our figures of leaf-schemes to complete the 

 demonstration, but will refer to those in more detail later. 



Explanation of Plate 5.j.j. 



All the figures except nos. 24 and 26 are enlarged views of the 

 epichiles of various plants. 



Figs. 1 to S. E. viridiflora. Note the absence of any very 

 considerable ruggedness in these lips. Fig. 1 is the dune-form from 

 Southport, wdth the tip of the lip curled under so that it gives the lip 

 a broad appearance, and the bosses more wrinkled than in the wood- 

 land forms. Figs. 2 {vectensis) and 3 {leptochila) show the long- 

 pointed triangular form with the bosses moderately inconspicuous 

 and not much wrinkled. 



Figs. 4 and 7. E. imrpurata. These are from Surrey specimens. 

 There is nothing ver}^ particular to notice here beyond the fact that 

 there is a small central boss and that the lateral bosses are more 

 Avrinkled in one than the other. Fig. 7 is from a young Mp not quite 

 full}^ unfolded, which accounts for its narrow form. 



Fig. 6. E. atro-purpnrea. From N. Wales. This shows the 

 rounded form of lip and the very markedly roughened bosses, the 

 central one large and conspicuous, though not very sharpl}^ separated 

 from the others, with which it is sometimes confiuent. 



r2 



