ORCHIDACE.E 



as are represented by Habenaria fragrans, H. boi-ealis var. albi- H, dilatata 

 flora, and Platanthera graminea are merely vegetative variants 

 and are scarcely worthy of even varietal distinction. It is a 

 question whether or not plants referable to these maintain dur- 

 ing several generations the characteristics which have been re- 

 garded specifically valid. It is by no means improbable that the 

 boreal form if transplanted to less rigorous conditions would 

 assume a more luxuriant and taller habit. 



Dr. Rydberg has reinstated Habenaria borealis var. albiflora 

 Cham, in his genus Limnorchis, and asserts that it differs from 

 Habenaria dilatata in its shorter, more clavate spurs, dull or 

 greenish white flowers, and in the usually smaller size. According 

 to his views H. borealis represents H. dilatata in the Rocky 

 JMountain region. In addition to specimens collected in the North- 

 west by Chamisso, distributed as H. boixalis var. viridiflora and 

 H. borealis var. albiflora, I have examined both dried and fresh 

 material from British Columbia which is well within the range 

 to which Dr. Rydberg assigns H. borealis. In 1904 I received 

 material from Mr. E. Wilson, gathered in British Columbia, 

 which grew very well in the wild garden connected with my 

 laboratory. Near at hand, in the same garden, were numerous 

 specimens specially collected in Vermont and Maine for com- 

 parison with the Northwestern specimens. A careful study of 

 the different sets of plants showed no appreciable difference in 

 the color of the flowers, length of spurs, denseness of the in- 

 florescence, characters of the foliage or outline of the lips. Every 

 peculiarity exhibited by the plants from the Northwest was found 

 in plants from Vermont and Maine. 



There were two colonies of the British Columbian plants, one 

 in a shaded locality, the other in an open grassy place, where 

 during the morning the plants received the full brightness of the 



[59] 



