NEOTT/E.E— EPIPACTIS 71 



(10 X 3|- cm. to 6 X 2 cm.), acute, often numerous, rather close together with short 

 internodes, in two ranks on opposite sides of the stem, often wavy-edged, rigid, 

 rather rough to the touch, yellow-green or dark green, neither grey-green nor glossy, 

 with three strongly raised nerves on each side of the thick mid-rib, and 4-8 translucent 

 nerves between each pair; upper leaves lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, tapering, often 

 bract-like. Raceme long (up to 23 cm.), drooping, finally erect, narrow, one-sided, 

 rather lax. Flowers pale yellow-green, scentless, rather larger than in E. latijolia, with 

 spreading pointed sepals and petals and long narrow lip. Bracts linear-lanceolate, 

 sessile, spreading, tapering, acute, yellow-green or dark green, the lower many-nerved 

 (up to 11), often twice as long as the flowers, the upper 3-nerved, equalling or 

 exceeding the ovary. Ovary spindle-shaped, narrowing gradually to the twisted 

 stalk, green, rough with irregular tubercles, with sparse short (sometimes black) hairs 

 (as also its stalk), and six prominent cord-like ridges, continuous with the keels of 

 the sepals and petals. Ripe capsule horizontal or drooping, yellow-green, elliptical, 

 with six prominent ridges; stalk ± 6 mm. long. Sepals long, spreading, lanceolate, 

 with acute tapering point (12-15 x 4 mm.), concave, pale green with transparent 

 edges and 3 green nerves, keel rough with minute projections. Petals shorter 

 and broader (lo-i I x 5-6 mm.), ovate-lanceolate, acute, glabrous, pale whitish green 

 with bright green cord-like keel and 2-3 faint sometimes branched nerves on each 

 side, edges transparent, minutely toothed. Lip long, narrow, acute, usually pointing 

 straight forward (i 10 x 4 mm.). Basal cup circular (4 mm. diam., 3-4 mm. deep), 

 pale green outside with a raised darker keel and three nerves on each side and 

 irregularly toothed semi-transparent wavy edges, green mottled with red inside, some- 

 times with a few short hairs outside. Tongue of lip cordate at base with a long sharp 

 point not as a rule recurved, narrow (4 mm.), green bordered with white, with a 

 raised keel and two obscure nerves on each side, semi-transparent minutely toothed 

 upturned edges and two white, more or less distinct, smooth or irregularly wrinkled 

 hunches at the base sometimes tinged with rose, with a rather deep channel between 

 them leading into the basal cup. Column^ short (5 mm.), divided into two parts at 

 the apex by a V-shaped incision on each side, with a curved nib-shaped stalk at the 

 back supporting the anther; the front wall on each side ending in a staminode almost 

 touching the back of the stigma. The base of the column in front is quadrangular, 

 its sides curving somewhat outwards and slightly winged. Anther stalked, ovate 

 with a rather acute empty tip, projecting for about half its length over the upper edge 

 of the stigma, cream-coloured or yellowish green, convex behind, more or less flat 

 in front, minutely papillose outside, the membrane in front of each cell turning back 

 hke a flap, and becoming brown. Pollinia creamy white, joined at the apex, thicker, 

 rounded, and slightly divergent at the base, split for most of their length; in early 

 ■ PI. A, fig. 6 (p. 6); PI. K, fig. I, ^ I, ^ 2 and .^ 3 (p. 220). 



