4 THE JOURXAL OF BOTAXT 



mentary. Messrs. Wheldon and Travis find that tliis state of the 

 stigma is also present in forma dmiensis. Here, therefore, we have a 

 character quite separating botli these forms from all forms of H. lati- 

 folia, vlolacea, and atrorubens, in which cases the stigma is pushed 

 forward, and the pollen-masses cannot fall upon it ; the rostellum 

 also being large and playing an important part in cross-fertilisation. 

 Apart from this, the smooth ovai-ies, small green Howers, lip-form, 

 small leaves, slender stem, plainly show that vecfe/isis and duiiensis 

 are onlv different /br>«s of the same species. 



A word may be said as to the relation of H. viridiflora to allied 

 British forms. In all floras known to us, the plant is given as a race 

 or subspecies of //. latifolia. Although so treated, several authors 

 have noted the characters described above, of the stigma and ros- 

 tellum. Darwin, in his " Fertilisation of Orchids,'' p. 102, notes that 

 Miiller (Verliandl. d. Nat. A''er. f. Westfal. Jahrg. xxv. iii. Folge, 

 V. Bd. J)]). 7-36) gives the absence of a true rostellum and the self- 

 fertilisation as cliaracters of H. viridijiora. Schulze, in " Die Orchi- 

 daceen Deutschlands etc.," says in a footnote that Beck has found it 

 to be self- fertilising. Messrs. Wheldon and Travis have independently 

 noted this character. In a group of species which contains so many 

 interlacing and puzzling forms, it seems the only right course to seize 

 vipon this character, which is by no means a slight, but a very funda- 

 mental one, and to give the plant full specific rank. We propose, 

 therefore, tliat //. viridiflora be considered a true and distinct species. 

 It is distinguished from //. latifolia and violacea, first by the position 

 of the stigma and the absence of a true rostellum, and by having 

 usually smaller greener leaves and flowers, a different lip, and a 

 different habit. From H. atroriihenfi it is distinguished not only by 

 the stigma, etc., but also by the fact that it has a glabrous ovary, 

 whereas the latter has a very hairy one. The lip of atrorahens is also 

 completely different, so that even green-flowered specimens of it need 

 not be confused with viridiflora. On the question of the other species 

 of Hellehorine we hope to say more at a later date. 



We may add that we have observed the Southport form of H. viri- 

 dijlora in flowei' in its habitat, and have compared our Yentnor form 

 with both specimens and drawings of it. 



We beg to thank Messrs. Wheldon and Travis for information 

 with which they liave very kindly furnished us. 



ALABASTHA DIVERSA.— Part XXYIII.* 

 Bv Spencer Le M. Moore, B.Sc, P.L.S. 



PlaXT.E BoGERSIAX.li. - -III. 



The following ]japer, devoted to further descriptions of Arch- 

 deacon Rogers's African plants, is proof additional of that gentleman's 

 success as a collector, sometimes even in country previously visited by 

 botanists, and more markedly so in but little known districts. The 

 order adopted, it may be stated, is the lineal one of Bentham and 



* The types of the plants here described are in the National Herbarium. 



