ORCHIDACEM 121 



the lips are generally smooth. The hps too in S. laciniata are 

 considerably shorter than the sepals, while in >S'. 'prcBCOX the lip 

 and sepals are about equally long. The following will serve to 

 characterize the species and to amplify the brief description pub- 

 lished by Dr. Small. 



Spiranthes laciniata {Gyrostachys laciniata, Small). Roots 

 numerous, fascicled, fleshy, elongated ; plants 3 dm. to 1 m. high, 

 smooth below, densely pubescent above, sometimes sparsely so ; 

 pubescence mostly capitate ; leaves linear-lanceolate to narrowly 

 oblanceolate, acuminate, 2-20 mm. wide above, 1-3 dm. long, 

 acute, mostly basal, a few extending up the stem, sheathing at 

 base, of thickish, almost fleshy texture when fresh, somewhat 

 equitant, the margins erect and nearly touching ; cauline bracts 

 sheathing, acuminate-acute, floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, not at all hyaline margined or faintly so, longer than the 

 ovaries ; inflorescence paucispiral, often secund, 8-24 em. long 

 (average 14 cm.) ; perianth pubescent, tubular in appearance, 8-11 

 mm. long, whitish ; sepals similar, obtuse, ciliate-margined, linear- 

 oblong, tapering gradually towards the apex, 3-nerved, 7.5-11 

 mm. long ; petals oblong falcate, obtuse, 3-nerved, 7-9 mm. long ; 

 lip oblong, sometimes from a broadened base, tapering gradually 

 or imperceptibly to the rounded, denticulate-laciniate apex, 7-8.5 

 mm. long, shorter than the sepals, pubescent beneath, callosities 

 elongated, curved, apparently marginal, the lip broadest where 

 they arise ; gynostemium as in S. vernalis. — One important dis- 

 tinctive character is the pubescence of the rhachis. In S. lachii- 

 ata the tips of the short hairs are capitate, while in S. vernalis the 

 hairs are longer and have tapering obtuse or slightly capitate tips, 

 and are slender from base to apex. This distinction, however, is 

 not infallible, as the characters in question are probably subject 

 to physiological variation. 



