916 



C. ensifolia is perhaps more decidedly a plant of hilly elevated 

 woods than the other, and ranges apparently farther to the northward, 

 both in Britain and on the continent. The flowers in each, but more 

 particularly in the larger species, look like buds just about to open, 

 and in form remind one of miniature tulips or the blossoms of Chelone 

 glabra. C. rubra, a very rare English plant, might nevertheless be 

 found with its congeners in this county. 



Malaxis paludosa. In spongy bogs (parasitic ?), on Sphagnum and 

 other mosses; rare. The present Dean of Winchester, the very Rev. 

 Dr. Gamier, told me he believed he once found the Malaxis in this 

 island, and it is included in a short anonymous list of Isle-of- Wight 

 plants found in 1818, sent me by my friend Miss E. Sibley, but the 

 authenticity of which is discredited by the mention therein of Echi- 

 nophora spinosa, Hieracium (Crepis) paludosum, and Polemonium 

 cseruleum. We have few places here suited to the production of Ma- 

 laxis paludosa, but the following are those where the search for it 

 would have the fairest chance of success : — The Cranberry swamp in 

 the valley of the Medina, and on Rookly Moors ; the marsh at Easton, 

 boggy parts of Colwell Heath, and the bog at Cockleton, near Cowes; 

 also on parts of Blackpan and Lake Commons. Bere Forest, near 

 Wickham ; Rev. Messrs. Gamier and Poulter in Hamp. Repos. On 

 bogs betwixt Southampton and Rownam ; Merrett. Southwick, be- 

 hind Portsdown, 1840; Mr. Jansen ! Very fine and abundant by a 

 stream in a boggy valley near Bournemouth ; Mr. Borrer (in litt.) . 

 I searched long and carefully last autumn for this plant in what, from 

 his always accurate and minute directions, I have no doubt was the 

 exact spot intended by my kind friend, but could not find a specimen. 

 Is the Malaxis fugacious, or periodical like others of its order ? 

 Sturmia Loeselii (Liparis, Hook. Lindl. fyc.) is coupled doubtfully with 

 Malaxis paludosa under the older names of Ophrys paludosa and 

 liliifolia in the anonymous catalogue above referred to, as found in 

 this island, and the Dean of Winchester has intimated to me a simi- 

 lar report. Although this rare species, yearly becoming rarer by 

 draining, has hitherto been found exclusively in the eastern midland 

 counties, I know not any reason why it should be confined to that 

 part of England. The absence of bogs of any extent in the island 

 certainly militates in some measure against the probability of its oc- 

 currence in this division of the county. Miss E. Sibley writes me : 

 " Cypripedium Calceolus, I am told, grows at Bordean ; I have often 

 looked for it, and doubt its existence."* My doubts are not less than 



* Amongst such plants as Rosa alpina, Veratrum album and other startling novelties 



