682 



" there are four very different plants included under this species, one 

 or more of which is probably distinct ; " and gives the foUovt^ing cha- 

 racters : — 



" a. E. latifolia ; leaves broadly ovate longer than the internodes, upper 1. ovate-ob- 

 long, lower bracts longer than the flowers, terminal division of the lip roundish-cordate 

 obtuse with a small recurved point shorter than the broadly ovate sepals and petals ' its 

 keel not crenate above.' — E. B. 269. — Leaves ovate, very broad, the very uppermost 

 sometimes lanceolate-attenuated ; lowermost leafless sheaths close. Lower bracts foli- 

 aceous lanceolate attenuated. Flowers green with the lip purple, sometimes all pur- 

 pie. Peduncle shorter than the downy germen. Lobe of the lip broader than long, 

 crenate. 



"b. E. media, (Fries); 1. ovate-oblong the upper ones lanceolate acute, lower bracts 

 longer than the fl. and fr., terminal division of the lip triangular-cordate acute as long as 

 the lanceolate sep. and pet. its keel 'crenate above.' — R.Icon. f. 1 141, 1142. — Narrower 

 and more elongate in all its parts than E. latifolia, only the very lowest 1. ovate, in- 

 teiTuediate lanceolate, upper 1. lanceolate attenuated and merging gradually into the 

 linear-lanceolate bracts ; sheaths funnel-shaped. Fl. " green tinged with purple." 

 Peduncle shorter than the downy germen. Lobe of the lip longer than broad crenate. 



" c. E. purpurata, (Sm.) ; 1. ovate-lanceolate the upper ones naiTOwer, lower bracts 

 longer than the fl. and fr., terminal division of the lip triangular-cordate acute shorter 

 than the ovate-lanceolate sep. and pet. its keel plicate-crenate above. — E. B. S. 2775. — 

 L, becoming gradually narrower as they ascend the st. and merging insensibly into the 

 linear-lanceolate bracts. Fl. " yellow-green tinged with pink." St. and 1. much tinged 

 with purple. Peduncle shorter than the downy germen. Lobe of the lip longer than 

 broad, entire, exactly like that of E. media, but with a more attenuated point. 



" d. E. ovalis ; 1. ovate-oblong acute the upper ones lanceolate, 1 or 2 lowest bracts 

 longer than than the fl. but shorter than the fr., terminal division of the lip transversely 

 oval acute as long as the ovate acute sep. and pet. its keel plicate-crenate above. — Hel- 

 leborine &c. No. 2. Ray, 383 ? — L. small ; sheaths funnel-shaped (as far as I can judge 

 from dry specimens). Bracts all much smaller than even the uppermost leaf. Fl. 

 blackish-red, peduncle shorter than the downy germen. Lobe of the lower lip exactly 

 transversely oval, crenate, with a small acute point and an elevated folded and crenate 

 triangular keel above. St. 6 — 18 inches high." — Bab. Man. Brit. Bot. 295. 



Of the above four forms, a. appears to be the most common ; of this 

 I possess specimens from Reigate Hill, Surrey ; East Harden, Sus- 

 sex; and from near Geneva; and believe the same form to occur ve- 

 ry frequently in some parts of Epping Forest and on the weald clay of 

 Sussex. I have a single specimen of what Mr. Babington considers 

 to be the second form, b. from near Chipstead, Siu-rey. The third, c. 

 is not unfrequent in the woods on the chalk hills of Surrey ; I possess 

 it from near Reigate, and have seen it in the copses below Crawley, 

 Sussex ; these are identical with Mr. Forbes's Woburn plants, as fi- 

 gured in Eng. Bot. Suppl., although I have some doubt of their being 

 the same as Sir J. E. Smith's specimen, described as his E. pin-pu- 

 rata. Of d. I know nothing, except from a specimen from Giggles- 



