J04 NATIVE BRITISH ORCHIDACE.E 



as long as and darker brown than sepals, directed obliquely forwards, at right angles 

 to column, hollowed out into an oval cup glistening with tiny drops of honey, and 

 with two small tooth-hke side-lobes at the base, oblong, then dividing into two 

 broad widely spreading curved oval or strap-like often crenulate lobes, rounded at 

 apex and glandular-hairy beneath. Drops of nectar, rather bitter, are also sometimes 

 found on the limb of the lip. Column nearly in line with ovary, but sloping slightly 

 backwards, cylindrical in section with a long-waisted body, pale brownish white, 

 ending at the back in a short rounded tooth, projecting in front in a spout-hke 

 slightfy notched Up, on the upper surface of which is the narrow kidney-shaped 

 stigma, which appears V-shaped viewed from in front. Rostellum projecting for- 

 wards i'mmediately above the stigma, and extending some distance beyond it, strap- 

 shaped, trough-Hke, grooved above, and curving downwards at the tip. Anther 

 oblong, slightly cordate, papillose outside, hinged to the back of the column, pro- 

 jecting forwards over stigma nearly at right angles to column. Pollinia two, bi-partite, 

 linear-oblong, pale yellow, friable, consisting of compound grains (tetrads) tied 

 together by very weak threads; they lie free, unattached to any viscid gland, in the 

 trough of the rostellum. Seed-capsule erect, ovate, nearly 3-sided, with six ridges, 

 of which three are more prominent, ± 12 mm. long. Seeds oblong with netted 

 transparent testa. 



The varieties pallida Wirtgen, pale yellow or wliitish; sulphurea Weiss, sulphur- 

 yellow; nivea Magnus, snow-white, are mere colour-forms, wliich might also occur 

 in Britain. The plant varies very little, except in size and robustness. 



Habitat. Shady woods, especially under beech, more rarely in pine-woods. 



Flowers June to July. 



Distribution. Generally distributed in England, Wales and Scotland as far north 

 as S. Aberdeen, Banff, and E. Inverness. Tliroughout Ireland in shady woods and 

 tliickets, but rather rare, Europe from Scandinavia to Spain, Italy and the Balkans, 

 Russia (middle and south), Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Ural. 



Neottia nidus-avis Rich., Mm. Mus. Paris, rv, 59 (1818). Ophrys nidus- 

 avis L., Sp. pi. ed. I, p. 945 (1753)- Epipactis nidus-avis Crantz. 

 Helleborine nidus-avis Schmidt. Listera nidus-avis Hooker. 



The whole plant is of a yellowish brown colour, and, even in its freshest condition, 

 looks dead and withered, like a faded Orohanche. The supposed resemblance to a bird's 

 nest is rather fanciful. There is no nest-like hollow on the upper surface of the closely 

 packed mass of roots. The absence of leaves and of green colouring matter has often 

 caused it to be mistaken for a parasite. It is, however, only a saprophyte, subsisting 

 on dead and decaying leaves or other organic matter, but never on living plants. 

 The brown colouring" matter must be nearly allied to chlorophyll, for when dipped 



