86 NATIVE BRITISH ORCHIDACE^ 



hybrids have yet been recorded. In some Swiss specimens there was no leafless sheath 

 beneath the lowest leaf, which sheathed the stem down to the first joint of the rhi2ome, 

 the joints of which are sHghtly constricted, and separated by a brownish ring. 



GooDYERA REPENS R. Br., In Ait. Hort. Keiv. ed. 2, v, 197 (1813). Satyrium 

 REPENS L. (1753). Epipactis REPENS Crantz (1769). Epipactis (L.) Crantz, 

 Oakes Ames (1908). Crantz's Epipactis was mainly Cephalanthera and Epipactis 

 (as understood by all European authors). Goodyera was probably included on 

 account of the shape of the lip resembling that of Epipactis. 



Fertilisation. Nectar is secreted in the cup at the base of the lip, and the sweet 

 scent of the flowers calls attention to its presence. They are visited by Bombus pratorum, 

 many of which were seen in the north of Scotland by Mr R. B. Thomson frequenting 

 the flowers, and carrying pollinia.i Hermann Miiller saw one visited in the Alps by 

 Bombus wastrucatus ?. Mr St Quintin of Scampston Hall, Yorks., tells me that many 

 plants of Goodyera in a greenhouse in which the windows were open day and night, 

 set full capsules in 191 8. The flower is tubular, the sepal and petals forming the roof, 

 and the lip the base of the tube. At first the passage between the lip and the column 

 is contracted, with only a small opening between. This prevents a bee from reaching 

 the nectar without touching the viscidium with its proboscis, owing to the narrowness 

 of the channel. On contact the viscid disc at once adheres to the upper surface of 

 the proboscis, and is withdrawn by it, together with the two attached pollinia, leaving 

 behind the two curved horns wliich formerly supported it. The viscid matter soon 

 sets hard, cementing the pollinia firmly to the proboscis. Later the front of the Up 

 turns down, widening the passage into the flower, and enabling a proboscis bearing 

 pollinia to enter easily and rub against the stigma, which is so sticky as to break 

 the strong threads by which the packets of pollen are bound to the polhnia, and 

 detach those which come in contact with it. 



Sub-tribe SPIRANTHIN^ 



Genus V SPIRANTHES Richard 



Flowers small, tubular, sweet-scented, horizontal, in a twisted spike. Column hori- 

 zontal. Stigma on its under-surface, circular, with a nib-shaped beak (rostellum) 

 enclosing a linear viscid gland. Anther hinged, lying face downwards on the back 

 of the rostellum; pollinia, each with two leaves of pollen, becoming attached to upper 

 surface of viscid gland. 



Small herbaceous plants with 2-6 (rarely more) fleshy cyhndrical or carrot-shaped 



I Darwin, Fert. Orch. ed. 2, p. 105. 



