THE POEMS OF OBCHTS MACULATA 127 



des Orchidees) photographs and specimens of plants which are pre- 

 cisely like our robust forms of Fuchsii. We would suggest that 

 the two main types have not been quite accurately distinguished, 

 and the fact has been overlooked that the form regarded as typical on 

 the Continent does not really agree with Linnseus's description. Thus, 

 paradoxically, according to continental and British usage, Druce's 

 Fuchsii would have to be taken as true maculata, and ericetorum as 

 a new species or sub-species, although it does agree with Linnaeus. 



It would very much clear up the situation if continental botanists 

 would consider the leaf and lip types as given in our plates and 

 figures, and say how far they can be definitely identified with the 

 continental forms. Especially they might consider the practical 

 certainty that two distinct species are to be distinguished, and in that 

 case the claims of Druce's Fuchsii to be separated as the new species, 

 leaving the forms with small centre-lobe as true maculata. If this is 

 not approved, O. Fuchsii must be taken as true maculata, and 

 O. ericetorum as a subspecies, or (preferably) as a new species. The 

 question appears to be whether we are to be governed in our final 

 decision by long-established (and somewhat blind) usage, or by the 

 strict interpretation of the written definitions of the forms. On our 

 side, we are not in a position to decide until we know more about the 

 continental forms ; and furthermore we are not ourselves so much 

 interested in the nomenclature, our point being to establish the two 

 forms (provisionally referred to as ericetorum and Fuchsii) as species, 

 and to comment on them. In our papers, therefore, we have used 

 these names for the sake of perfect clearness, without wishing to 

 attempt a final decision on the nomenclature. 



Note. — The accompanying plate (559) in the main is intended to 

 supplement the coloured plate published in Nov. 1920. Figs. 1-6 

 give specimens of the endless varieties of the ericetorum type. All 

 the rest give side-views of lips corresponding to the front views of 

 t. 556. Here a fairly even gradation will be noticed from the stoutest 

 forms of incarnata and purpurell 'a, then praetermissa and latifolia, to 

 the slender forms of maculata. It may be noted that though in the 

 plants figured the spurs of Fuchsii are not stouter than those of 

 ericetorum, we believe that in general they are distinctly stouter. 

 Fig. 24 gives the side-view of a flower of the hybrid of O. ericetorum 

 with Gymnadenia conopsea, of which no figure is given in t. 556. 

 Hybrids of the last-named species with the Fuchsii type also occur; 

 they vary a good deal, but always have long, slender spurs and a very 

 delicate scent and colour. The figures in PI. 559 are some of them 

 drawn from the same individual flowers as those in PL 556, some- 

 times not. 



Explanation op Plate 559 (Supplementing Plate 556). 



Nos. 1-6. O. ericetorum. Front view of lips, to show varieties of 

 form and pattern. 



Nos. 7-25. Side-view of separate flowers. 



7. O. incarnata. Shrewsbuiy. Same plant but not same flower 

 as PI. 556, 24. 



