NEOTT/JB^— CEPHALANTHERA 49 



with prominent parallel nerves, rarely more than 8 cm. long by about 4 cm. broad; 

 the upper lanceolate often narrow, the lowest short (± 6 cm.), ovate-lanceolate. 

 Spike sometimes occupying nearly half the stem, the lower flowers distant, the upper 

 close together. Flowers few (3-12), large, erect, stalldess, ovoid, creamy white, 

 scentless, tubular at base, often closed, but for a short time the side-sepals spread 

 and the lip turns down at the apex. Bracts ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, the lower 

 leaf-like, often much exceeding the flower, the uppermost linear, slightly longer or 

 shorter than the ovary. Sometimes the lower bracts are so like the leaves that the 

 flowers appear to be axillary and solitary. Ovary erect, stalkless, spindle-shaped, 

 6-ribbed, rough, twisted. Sepals oblong, obtuse, 5 -nerved, creamy white, edges 

 entire or minutely toothed. Petals shorter, oblong-lanceolate, rounded 'at tip, 

 5 -nerved, slightly clawed, edges usually smooth. Lip shorter than petals, basal half 

 sack-shaped with a deep yellow or orange patch within, and a rounded lobe on each 

 side clasping the column, making the flower tubular; forward half (epichUe) heart- 

 shaped, obtuse, rounded, finely crenate often mucronate, narrowed to a hinge, ± 4 mm. 

 wide at the base, broader than long, trough-like above, curved downwards at the 

 tip, with three or five parallel orange-yellow interrupted longitudinal crests. Column 

 tall (± I cm.), curved, semi-cylindrical, flat in front, whitish, ending behind in a 

 point like the nib of a pen, to which the anther is fixed, with a small finger-like 

 staminode (rudimentary anther) on each side. Stigma on front of column immediately 

 below the anther (of which it partly conceals the base), oval, broader than long, 

 concave, glistening, greenish white. Rostellum none. Anther suspended below 

 the middle of the back from a nib-like filament, semi-ovoid, obtuse, hood-like, 

 rough outside with minute papilla;, each of the two cells with a partition lengthwise! 

 Pollinia two, each divided into separate halves, cylindrical, curved, without 

 caudicles, yeUowish white. Pollen-grains ovoid, pitted, separate, not joined into 

 tetrads. 



Whole plant glabrous, smooth except for papHlas on the upper part of the stem 

 and on the ovary. Ripe seed-capsule, erect, ± 3 cm. long, slightly curved, hexagonal. 

 Seeds with oblong transparent reticulated fine-meshed testa. 



PI. C, fig. I, shows a Sussex specimen. May, 1927 (Col. C. T. Green). 



Two colour-forms are mentioned by Camus,' one with yellowish wliite flowers 

 (C ochroleuca Rchb. f), and one with flowers "d'un beau blanc" (C lonchophjllum 

 Rchb. f.). Each is said to occur to the exclusion of the other in their respective 

 stations. 



Forma Duffortii Camus, with smaller flowers and lip similar to the petals, is a 

 partial reversion to the primitive type of the orchid flower before the lip had become 

 differentiated from the petals. I found a plant at Hyeres with three anthers, in which 



' Camus, Icon. p. 457. 



