OPHRYDE^—SERAPIADIN^— ORCHIS 203 



ORCHIS LATIFOLIAxPURPURELLA 



X Orchis insignis Stephenson p. and f.' 

 PI. 53 B (p. 217) 

 Stem usually tall, a fair number taller than either parent, a few dwarf like O. purpurella. 

 Leaves 4-5, sub-erect, longer and sometimes broader than in 0, purpurella, keeled 

 and slightly hooded, mostly with larger often transversely oval blotches, sometimes 

 with ringed spots, a few with small dots like 0. purpurella, and some without spots. 

 Spike short, ovoid, rather dense. Leaves small, about the same size as in 0, pur- 

 purella, brightly coloured. Sepals erect, reflexed. Petals erect with crossed tips. 

 Lip more distinctly 3-Iobed at apex and slightly broader than in . purpurella, paler, 

 with brilliant carmine markings (double loops of continuous lines with detached spots 

 outside), side-lobes rounded or slightly rhomboidal, rather coarsely and irregularly 

 toothed or crenate, mid-lobe small, rounded. Spur rather long, conico-cylindrical, 

 shorter than ovary. 



When seen with the parents, at once recognisable as a hybrid between them. The 

 general appearance is that of a modified O. purpurella, of wliich it has the short spike, 

 brilliantly coloured flowers, similar lip, and sometimes the dwarf habit. The other 

 parent is suggested by the somewhat taller stem, longer leaves, larger sometimes 

 ringed spots, and shallowly 3-lobed lip, with the characteristic markings of O. latifolia, 

 but much intensified in colour. 



Habitat. Old pasture, Aberystwyth ! amongst two or three colonies containing 

 both parents; fairly numerous, some tall, some dwarf, some spotted. PI. 556, J.B. 

 1920, shows the Aberystwyth form of 0. latifolia (fig. 13), 0. purpurella (fig. 9), and 

 the hybrid between them, x 0. insignis (fig. 1 1). Arran, Scotland (Stephenson), 

 many stations near the shore, in fair numbers, with few, if any, dwarfs, and with large 

 dark blotches (though sometimes faint) on the leaves. Flowers June to July. 



O. latifolia x Caloglossum viride, vide C. viride, p. 130. 



0. latifolia x O. incarnata, vide O. incarnata, pp. 188, 189. 



O. latifolia eborensis x maculata, p. 220. 



II. Orchis maculata L. 

 Pis. 47 A (p. 197) and 50 (p. 206). Spotted Orchid 

 Tubers palmate, flattened, back to back, thick at the base with 2-4 tapering ± divergent 

 segments; roots rather short, thick, cylindrical. Stem erect, sometimes shghtly 

 sinuous, cylindrical, 20-60 cm. tall, acutely ridged above (through decurrence of 

 edges and mid-ribs of bracts), solid, non-compressible (rarely slightly hollow and 

 compressible), glabrous, light green sometimes flushed with violet above, leafy to 

 about the middle, with 2-3 brownish or whitish 3 -nerved close-fitting leafless sheaths 



' /.B. p. 33 (1922)- 



z6-2 



