OPHRYDE^—GYMNADENIINyE—CCELOGLOSSUm 131 



recognisable by the deeply trifid lip characteristic of the form of 0. maculata abundant 

 on the downs. 0. latijolia is essentially a marsh orchid, but strangely enough a few 

 plants of it grew on the dry chalk downs near the hybrid. The spotting of the leaves 

 most resembled that of 0. latijolia, some spots being green in the centre, a frequent 

 occurrence in 0. latijolia but very rare indeed in 0. maculata, and perhaps even then 

 due to previous crossing with 0. latijolia. The solid stem is, however, in favour of 

 0. maatlata, but though the stem of 0. latijolia is hollow in marshy places, the form on 

 the downs is of shorter stature and has a nearly solid stem. The author regrets that 

 he did not make sections of the stem of the hybrid, but formed his opinion of its 

 solidity by its non-compressibility, a test not always reliable, as the walls may be thick 

 enough to resist compression, even with a tube down the centre. 



Dr Keller of Aarau, whose work on European orcliids is in course of pubhcation, 

 wrote with reference to the above: "J'ai la conviction que les deux plantes qui sont 

 peintes entieres [PI. 23 and another] sont des C viride x 0. latijolia. Le rouge fonce, 

 la longueur du tige, les feuilles, la forme du labellum; enfin tout plaide pour un 

 hybride avec latijolia. Quant a la troisieme plante qui n'est representee que par une 

 fleur isolee [PI. 22, fig. 4] . . .je crois que c'est un hybride Caloglossum x 0. maculata. 

 C'est surtout la cotileur, le rouge plus pale, beaucoup moins fonce qui disparait 

 presque devant le vert sature de Cceloglossum, qui plaide pour I'O. maculata, en outre 

 la forme du labellum qui rappelle beaucoup plus les formes plus aigues de maculata 

 que de latijolia. Etrange hasard cependant de trouver en meme temps 2 exemplaices 

 de Cceloglossum x latijolia, avec im exemplaire de Cceloglossum x tnaculata ! J'ai une 

 aquarelle de Cceloglossum x maculata trouve en France; cette plante ressemble beau- 

 coup a votre fleur isolee mais nullement a une des autres de vos 2 plantes entieres. 

 En tout cas ce sont des plus beaux et etranges hybrides que j'ai jamais vus". 



Distribution. So far only known from chalk downs in the neighbourhood of 

 Winchester. It has never been found on the Continent. 



Mile A. Camus {Iconographie, p. 377 (1928)) gave the name Orchicceloglossum Drucei 

 to C. viride x (0. incarnata x maculata). This is the same plant as the present hybrid, 

 the difference in parentage being due to Dr Druce's opinion that British 0. latijolia 

 is the hybrid 0. prcetermissa x maculata, the form of 0. incarnata referred to being 

 later named Orchis prcetermissa by Dr Druce (B.E.C. p. 340 (191 3)), 1914. I therefore 

 retain the name in honour of that eminent botanist. 



17-2 



