y6 NATIVE BRITISH ORCHIDACE^ 



attached to it. In E. kptochila the anther projects too far forward, with the result 

 that it often happens tliat the rostellum lies in the fork between the pollinia without 

 touching them. The pollinia appear to slide over the edge of the stigma, which slopes 

 down on each side, and come to rest on its adhesive surface, forming an inverted V 

 (or horseshoe) in the angle of which is a brown irregular mark — the remains of the 

 withered rostellum. The pollinia swell visibly and become fluffy, probably through 

 the outgrowth of pollen-tubes. The disintegration and distribution of the pollinia 

 over the surface of the stigma are apparently assisted by the small and active larvae 

 (tlirips?) which are often found crawling about them. The pollen-tubes find their 

 way to the ovary and fertilise the ovules in the usual way. Whether the rostellum is 

 in course of evolution but not yet perfected, or whether it is losing a former efficiency 

 and gradually disappearing, remains to be seen. 



EPIPACTIS LEPTOCHILA x E. LATIFOLIA 

 X E. Stephensonii Godfery 



In one specimen dug up by me in Surrey, there was no rhizome, and the roots were 

 in a dense but shallow ring round the clustered stems, which were eight on the same 

 plant. The flowers had been cut, and were not seen. £. latifo/ia and E. kptochila grew 

 in the same wood, but in different parts. The supposed hybrid grew between the two 

 habitats, and was the only E. latiJoIiaAikt plant I have ever seen with several stems. 

 Horsley, Surrey! Generally speaking the hybrids are tall and robust with latijolia- 

 like leaves, broader and less acuminate sepals, broader triangular epichile, standing 

 straight out and not recurved at the tip. Gloucestershire, Salmon (/.B. p. 21 (1921)). 

 Dr Stephenson, who examined one of the specimens, wrote: "Much stouter and 

 more latifolia-Uke . . .than any we have had before. The pollen is very overhanging 

 and friable, faUing on to the stigma of itself, and the rostellum is visible as a rudiment 

 in the bud only, having vanished in the open flower" {Joe. cit. p. 20). 



5. Epipactis dunensis Godfery 



PI. 10. Dune Helleborine 



The original diagnosis (J.B. p. 68 (March, 1926), PL 574) was as follows: 



"Epipactis dunensis, sp. nov. Canlis 20-40 cm. long. profunde descendens, vaginis 

 basalibus laxis, radicibus paucis brevibus tenuibus rigidisque. Folia disticha oblongo- 

 lanceolata rigida saspe plicata. Racemum laxum floribus paucis, parvis, flavido- 

 viridibus ; bracteis Uneari-lanceolatis, inferioribus flores superantibus. O^'^ra//// breviter 

 pedicellatum glabrum, vel pilis brevibus parcissime indutum. Sepala ovario breviora 

 ovata obtusa carinata cucullata. Petala sepalis similia sed magis acuta translucentia. 



