116 ENGLISH BOTANY, 
twisted row, in a dense slender spike. Braets concave, enclosing the 
ovary, acuminate-cuspidate. 
In pastures and on banks on chalk and limestone soils. Rather 
sparingly but generally distributed in England, reaching north to 
York and Westmoreland. Local and rare in Ireland, where it is 
confined to the south and middle of the island. 
England, Ireland. Perennial. Autumn. 
Rootknobs commonly about the size of a shelled almond or date stone. 
Leaves appearing about September, in a lateral tuft, from the centre of 
which the flowering-stem of the next year is produced; petiole broad, 
sheathing; lamina, 1 to 1} inch long. Leaves not fully developed 
till the flowe ars have faded, "and remaining green through ‘the winter. 
llowering-stem 3 to 9 inches high, with numerous sinall sheathing 
bractlike “leaves, with acuminate-cuspidate points. Spike 1} to 4 
inches long. Bracts herbaceous, with white scarious margins, longer 
than the ovary. Perianth shout 1 inch long, greenish- white, curved, 
so that the apical portion is horizontal. Sepals triangular- lanceclate, 
about as long as the labellum, the base of which is enclosed by the two 
lower sepals ; labellum oblong, crenulated at the apex, folded longi- 
tudinally into a gutter at the base, which embraces the acute column. 
Rachis, bracts, ovary, and perianth glandular-pubescent. 
Autumnal Ladies’ Tresses. 
French, Spiranthe automnale. German, Herbst Wendelorche. 
SPECIES IL-SPIRANTHES ASTIVALIS. Rich. 
Prave MCCCCLXXITI. 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv, Vol. XIII. Tab. CCCCLXXY. 
Billot, ¥\. Gall. et Germ. Exsicc. No, 467. 
Neottia estivalis, D.C. Bub. in Eng. Bot. Suppl. No. 2817. 
toot with several cylindrical or terete thickened fibres. Radical 
leaves surrounding the base of the flowering-stem, strapshaped or 
narrowly elliptical-strapshaped ; lowest leaves on the flowering-stem 
resembling the radical leaves but smaller, the upper ones minute, 
resembling bracts. Flowers in one twisted row, in a rather slender 
dense spike. Bracts concave, enclosing the ovary, acuminate-cuspidate. 
In bogs. Very rare. In a bog in the New Forest, near Lynd- 
hurst, on the road to Christchurch, Hants ; Wyre Forest, Worcester; 
about St. Ouen’s Pond, Jersey; and at Grand Mare, Guernsey. 
England. Perennial. Late Summer, and early Autumn. 
Rootfibres 2 or 3 inches long, about the thickness of a quill. Leaves 
