j,8 NATIVE BRITISH ORCHIDACE^ 



Raceme long, spike-like, erect, many-flowered, finally lax. Flowers inconspicuous, 

 stalked, spreading, yellowish green, rather small. Bracts very small, ± 3 mm. long, 

 shorter than the stalk of the ovary, ovate, tapering, green, glabrous or nearly so. 

 Ovary almost globular, not twisted, shorter than its curved erect twisted stalk, green 

 or tinged violet, glabrous or hairy, with six slight ridges. Sepals ovate obtuse, green 

 or violet edged, concave, loosely connivent with the much narrower linear rather 

 acute yellow-green petals. Lip green, 2-3 times as long as sepals, wedge-shaped at 

 base with two small tooth-like erect side-lobes, slightly broadening downwards and 

 deeply divided at the apex into two linear obtuse yellow-green lobes, rarely with an 

 intermediate tooth. It projects forwards at the base (where the edges are slightly 

 turned up at each side, the space between them often glistening with nectar), and 

 then turns sharply downwards almost at right angles. A nectar-secreting furrow runs 

 down the centre, referred to by some authors as a green callus, but if the nectar be 

 wiped off, it is seen to be a furrow. Column short (2 mm.), rising at the back into 

 a pale green white-edged notched hood, arching over the anther; in front the white 

 rostellum curves forward, in profile like the spout of a jug, on which lie the two 

 pollinia. Stigma on the front of the column immediately below the rostellum, trans- 

 versely oval, convex, prominent, looking like a wide drop of clear green liquid. 

 Rostellum (if the pollinia are removed) rather broadly tongue-shaped, very finely 

 striate under a strong lens, with two longitudinal very shallow furrows in which the 

 pollinia lie. Anther ovate, wide open in front, with a shallow partition between the 

 cells, shrivelling early and best seen in bud. Pollinia oblong, pale yellow, without 

 stalks, each divided or nearly divided into two. Ripe capsule globular on an upward 

 curved stalk with three flat ridges. Testa of seed 3-4 times as long as broad, reticulate, 

 not striate, suspensor not developed. The continental varieties alternifolium Peterm. 

 (leaves more distant), trijoliata A. and G. (three leaves), parvifolia A. and G. (leaves 

 ± 5 cm. long), and multinervia Peterm. (leaves 17-18-nerved) appear to be only 

 individual variations. A curious form with ivory-white sepals and lip, and dark 

 purple-red petals found by Dr Beauverd in Savoie was named by him sub-sp. 

 ehurneo-rosea. 



The stem is sometimes glandular-hairy and sticky to the touch. The band of nectar 

 extends to the base of the lip, and often covers the basal part. The fruiting spike 

 looks like a spray of green currants, the resemblance being accentuated by the 

 withered flower at the apex of each capsule. When shaken, the dust-like seeds come 

 out like pepper from a pot. A specimen found at Chambery, France, was 70 cm. tall 

 with a spike 28 cm. long. 



Var. platyglossa Peterm. Lip short (6-8 mm.), broadening downwards into two 

 oblong obtuse slightly diverging lobes, sometimes with a tooth between. Sand- 

 dunes, S. Wales. 



