80 THE JOURNAL OP BOTANY 



the Formosa plant, the only difference being that the branches are 

 more equal and more regularly pinnate. The plant is in fruit, and it 

 differs notably from most species of the genus Barhella in the seta, 

 which is longer than usual, and in the peristome. In most of the 

 species the seta is only as long as the capsule, or 2-3 times as long ; 

 in only two or three it is considerably longer {B. comes 3-5 mm., 

 B. Kurzii (3 mm.). Here it is fully 10 mm., and sometimes 12 mm. 

 long, thin, rugulose-papillose in the upper part. The peristome 

 characters are still more marked, as the outer teeth are densely trans- 

 versely striolate for a great part of their length, a character not 

 hitherto found in Barhella, where they are at most striolate only near 

 base. In view of tlie vegetative structure, however, this character is 

 not sufficient, I think, to remove the plant to any other genus. 



"EPIPACTIS MEDIA (Fries!)" Bab. 



By Colonel M. J. Godfery, F.L.S. 



The history of the above name is very curious. Leighton says 

 (Fl. Shropsh. p. 434, 1841) "Mr. Babington has directed my atten- 

 tion to a plant which we gathered in 1835 in the woods on the west 

 side of Bomere pool, and which we supposed at the time to be 

 E. latifolia, but which he has recently determined to be E. viridiflora 

 Eeich.'" (Fl. Germ. Exc. p. 134, 1830). He then quotes Babington's 

 description, as follows : — " 2. E. viridijlora Reich. Leaves ovato- 

 oblong, the upper ones lanceolate acute ; the lower bracteas longer 

 than the flowers ; the terminal division of the lip triangular-cordate 

 acute, as long as the lanceolate petals and sepals. Reich. Icon. f. 1142. 

 Belch. Fl. Excurs. n. 891. Petermann, Fl. Lips. 641. Narrower 

 and more elongated in all its parts than E. latifolia, only the lowest 

 leaves ovate, the intermediate ones lanceolate, and the upper ones 

 lanceolato-attenuated and merging gradually into the linear-lanceolate 

 bracteas. Floivers ' green tinged with purple ' ; peduncle shorter 

 than the downy ge.rmen. Lobe of the lip longer than broad, crenate. 

 Woods at Bomere pool, Salop, and Luton, Kent." The above is 

 practically identical with Babington's description of E. media Fries 

 (Man. Brit. Bot. p. 295, 1843). It is clear, therefore, that he first 

 considered the Bomere plant to be E. viridiflora Bchb., and later 

 published it as E. media Fries. Tlie reason for this may be gathered 

 from Leighton, who says, further on, " Fries (Nov. Mant. alt. p. 54) 

 considers E. viridiflora Beich. as a variety ' floribus viridibus ' of his 

 own E. media.''"' Fries, however, does not quite say this. He wrote 

 "E. media (b) lloribus-viridibus lieich. ic. f. 1142, sec. Koch," He 

 does not say that from personal observation he considered them the 

 same, l)ut that, to judge from Koch, E. viridiflora is the same as his 

 green -flowered media. 



I think we are justified in concluding that Fries did not personally 

 know E. viridiflora, as, if he had done so, he would have given it as 

 a synonym without qualifying it with the words "according to Koch." 



