ORCHIS LATIFOUA IX BRITAIN 5 



which in general habit is much nearer to O. prcetermissa or to O. eri- 

 cetorum, according to its type. The " heath " form at Aberystwyth 

 appears to cross readily with other forms, including O. purpurella. 

 Reichenbach (Icones Fl. Germ. t. 403) gives a form of O. lutifolia 

 which the author includes in " latifolise verse " : it suggests a very 

 similar plant. 



A single flower of this form is given in Journ. Bot. 1920, pi. 556, 

 fig. 13. It may also stand as a representative of group A generally. 

 A flower of the hybrid with O. purpurella is also given in fig. 11. 

 The specimens were not specially selected, but a comparison of this 

 Mower with those of figs. 13 and 9 or 10 will show at a glance the 

 intermediate type. 



Group B. The chief difference between the plants of groups A and 

 B is in the darker colour of the flowers and the less conspicuous 

 pattern of the lip which is the necessary result. Apart from the 

 spotted leaves, plants of this group often strongly resemble specimens 

 of O. prcetermissa. The difference would be in the stronger-lined 

 pattern of the lip, its thicker texture, and slightly incurved shape. 

 Usually O. prcetermissa has a lip-pattern of fine spots and an almost 

 flat lip of thin texture — besides the presence of the unspotted leaves. 

 The plants are of about the same size as those of group A. The 

 leaves are usually broad, but there is great variation, and occasionally 

 they are very narrow. O. prcetermissa v. pulcliella has heavy lip- 

 markings as a rule, but not arranged in regular loops, as in O. 

 lutifolia. 



Sub-group b. We think it advisable to refer to a separate sub- 

 group a set of plants growing at Borth, which have very dark purple 

 flowers, heavy lip-pattern, and stout spurs. The leaves are dark 

 green and rather rigid. As we have noted above, this set of plants 

 is growing out of any connection with O. prcetermissa, unless it 

 formerly occurred there and died out. O. ericetorum is found on the 

 spot, and a mile away, across a wide tidal drain, 0. incamata. A 

 lip of this type is given in Journ. Bot. pi. 556, fig. 14. and it may 

 also stand as a representative of group B generally. 



Group C. In size and habit of flower this group resembles groups 

 A and B, though the tendency is to a very large size. The colour is 

 that of pale O. ericetorum, and generally suggests one or other of the 

 types of Spotted Orchis. The size of the lip in some cases is very 

 large indeed, 13 mm. wide by 8 or 9 mm. long. The lined lip- 

 pattern is slighter, and there are more spots, often very small and 

 almost covering the lip. The difference between these forms and 

 O. ericetorum is in the evenly-rounded side-lobes, stouter spur, and 

 more upright sepals. This form will be very near to O. JBraunii 

 (O. maculuta superbu) — in fact, nothing but experiment could finally 

 decide between them. We have usually found these forms growing 

 in the neighbourhood of the darker ones, but in much smaller 

 numbers. A lip of this type is given in Journ. Bot. pi. 556, fig. 15. 

 In some cases even, the lip is crenulate, much as in O. ericetorum. 



In this connection it may be useful to call attention to the fact 

 that O. ericetorum (as well as O. JFnclisii) may grow to a very 

 large size, and in this form may readily be mistaken for a Marsh 



