OPHRYDE^—SERAPIADIN^—ORCKIS 171 



where the two species occur together, and also in Switzerland. As these are sometimes 

 nearer to one parent and sometimes to the other, it would be possible to find a series 

 of intermediate forms, wliich would give some colour to the idea that both belong 

 to the same species, especially in the early days when the existence of hybrids was 

 doubted. Sir J. E. Smith in his Bnglish Flora (1828) said that he had long thought 

 them to be one species, and was still dubious on the matter. Intermediate forms, 

 however, only occur where the two species grow together. In some localities O. mili- 

 taris abounds, but 0. simia is entirely absent, in others 0. simia is plentiful, but there 

 is no 0. militaris. In both these cases no intermediate forms arise. If both belong to 

 the same species, these polymorphic forms ought to occur wherever either species 

 is abundant. 



3. Orchis purpurea Huds. 



PI. 37. Brown-winged Orchid, Maids of Kent, Lady Orchid 



Tubers ovoid; roots thick, short, numerous. Stem 20-40 cm. (up to 80 cm. abroad), 

 round, solid, glabrous, pale green below, angular, channelled and often dark dull 

 purple above, sometimes with fines of green cells like a pattern on a snake's skin. 

 Leaves long, 3-5, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, the lower erect, slightly spreading, 

 obtuse, bright or grey-green, glabrous and sliining as if varnished above, paler, 

 glossy and greyer green below, the upper acute clasping the stem, which extends 

 some distance above it, and sometimes has a smaU bract-like leaf. Spike 6-10 cm. 

 long, ovoid to oblong, lax or dense. Flowers many, large, flat, not scented, con- 

 spicuous by the contrast of the dark red-purple helmet with the pale-coloured lip. 

 Bracts narrow, very short, ovate or triangular, thin, membranous, peUucid, purplish, 

 usually i-nerved. Ovary long (10-18 mm.), linear, sessile, twisted, often curved, 

 glabrous, green or tinged with purple, with six sometimes purple-spotted ridges. 

 Helmet short, rather open. Sepals coherent towards the base, but easily separated, 

 the tips slightly spreading, ovate, acute or obtuse, 3 -nerved, heavily blotched with 

 dark red-purple outside, green or whitish mottled with purple within; upper sepal 

 boat-shaped. Petals narrow, linear, ribbon-like, acute, rarely spatulate, whitish or 

 pale violet with violet spots, partly adherent and caulldng the seams between the 

 sepals. Lip pendent, 3-lobed at base, broad, flat, longer than the sepals, white above, 

 the edges more or less suffused with violet or pale rose (especially on open ground), 

 plentifully spotted with tiny tufts of rather long violet papiUs, and white beneath 

 sometimes edged violet or rose; side-lobes narrow, linear, curved, spotted with 

 violet tufts, rounded, pointed, truncate or spatulate at the tip; mid-lobe broad, 

 widening graduaUy from the base downwards, ending in two short broad divergent 



