21 G OECHIDE^ 



of Corlc. It is the only known European locality for the plant, though it is 

 also found in Kamtschatka. The fragrant greenish-white flowers grow, in 

 August and September, on a somewhat short stem, forming a spike about 

 half an inch long. The plant is by some writers called Sjjiranthes gemmfpara, 

 and S. romanzovidna. 



7. Goodyer's Orchis (Goodyera). 



Creeping Goodyera (G. rdpens). — Lower leaves egg-shaped and stalked; 

 sepals, petals, and lip egg-shaped, lanceolate ; rootstock creeping. This rare 

 plant is found in pine forests at the north of this kingdom, especially in the 

 Scottish Highlands. Its stem is about six inches high ; its leaves are mostly 

 from the root; and it has narrow leaf-like bracts. The small cream-white 

 flowers grow during August, in a spiral spike. The whole of the upper part 

 of the plant is covered with minute glands. Mr. Loudon remarks of its 

 creeping roots, that unlike those of most Orchids, the plant may be increased 

 by division. 



8. Gmelin's Coral-root {Epipogium). 



Gmelin's Coral-root {E. gmelini). — Lip 3-lobed, somewhat concave, 

 continued backwards as a short, stout spur ; the centre whitish, with rows 

 of red glands. Sepals and petals somewhat spreading. Kootstock of fleshj^^, 

 branched fibres similar to those of CoraJIorhiza. This is an exceedingly rare 

 saprophyte, whose sole British locality is Tedstone Delamere, in Hereford- 

 shire. Its pale yellow-brown stem is about six inches high, its leaves reduced 

 to one or two small sheathing scales, above which are the 2 to 6 pale yellow 

 flowers on their short thick ovaries. The sepals and petals are narrow lance- 

 shaped, with turned-in edges ; and the lip, which is uppermost, has small 

 lateral lobes. The position of the lip is due to the fact that the ovary is not 

 twisted. The plant grows among dead leaves, and flowers in August. 



9. Orchis (Orchis). 



1. Green-winged Meadow Orchis (0. murio). — Lip 3-lobed, slightly 

 crenate, middle lobe margined ; sepals and petals blunt, ascending, hooded ; 

 spur blunt, rather shorter than the germen ; tubers two, globular, undivided. 

 This is not an infrequent plant of the English or Irish meadow, during the 

 month of June. It grows among the grass, either hiding amidst its blades 

 or rising above them, varying in height from half a foot to a foot. The 

 flowers are few, forming a loose spike, and may be distinguished by their 

 dull purple sepals, which are marked with green veins, and curved upwards 

 so as to form a kind of helmet over the rest of the blossom. The lip is 

 purple, paler in the middle, and marked with purple spots. The leaves are 

 smaller than those of most members of the genus, and are not spotted. 



2. Early Purple Orchis (0. mdscula). — Lip 3-lobed, somewhat crenate, 

 the middle lobe margined ; sepals acute, the two lateral ones turning up- 

 wards ; petals converging ; spur blunt, rather longer than the ovary ; tubers 

 two, egg-shaped. This is the commonest of our native Orchises, and all 

 who delight to roam in green meadow or leafy woodland, during May, have 



