NATURAL ORDER ORCHIDACE. 
Tribe—OruryYDE®s. Section of genus Orchis, having two separate 
glands, and the lateral sepals spreading. 
Prate XVIII.—Orchis Olbiensis ? This name was given me for the 
present plant by M. Ardoino, but he was unable to cite the work in 
which he believed that it was described. It is not mentioned by any 
author whose works f have. 
Gryeric.—See description of preceding plate. 
Sreciric.—Stigmatic chamber much below the level of the lip. Pollen- 
_masses dark green. Staminodia distinct. Lip deeply cut into three 
acuminate lobes; each lateral lobe has generally acuminate teeth on 
the margin, and the terminal lobe a central tooth and two pairs of 
lateral teeth. The colour of the lip, and of the whole flower indeed, 
is pink, though on its surface some tiny hairlike processes give the 
appearance of brown spots. Spur as long or longer than the ovary, 
generally horizontal. Petals ovate, short, forming a hood over the 
column. Sepals lanceolate-acuminate, the central one not bent over the 
. column. Bract acuminate, coloured, about the length of the ovary. 
Leaves broadly linear-lanceolate, obtuse, mucronate, erect, not spreading 
on the ground. 
EXPLANATION OF Pirate X VIII.—Orchis olbiensis, if that be indeed 
_ its name, here figured, is one of the many examples of European plants 
_about which very little is known, or at any rate reported. Figs. 1 and 2 
‘are of the pollen-masses performing the necessary movements after 
removal. Fig. 2 shows one of the pollen-masses immediately after 
_ removal by the culm of grass to which it is attached, when it is per- 
fectly upright. Fig. 2 represents it when prostrated and ir the proper 
position for entering the stigmatic-cavity. Fig. 3 is of the column and 
part of the spur, placed in such a position that the stigmatic-cavity is 
seen underneath the anther with the grains of pollen adherent in it. 
Fig. 4, an entire flower explaining the relative parts. 
Remarxs.—Orchis olbiensis is said to be the name given to a plant 
similar to this which was discovered at Hyéres (once called Olbia) and 
M. Ardoino considered that this plant, on its discovery in 1863 on the 
Aiguille Mountain, at Mentone, was probably identical with it. This 
Orchis varies much in size, and specimens may be found growing to 
