37 



collected it there as growing upon rocks in Trinidad, fully exposed 

 to the sea ; being frequently washed by the waves, yet thriving 

 with a vigour seldom seen under cultivation. North America 

 yields many orchids of the terrestrial "class, amongst which the 

 beautiful Cypripedium spectabile may be taken as a sample ; 

 and in Europe we have also representatives of the same group, 

 Britain alone possessing about three dozen species. They are 

 on open " downs," and in low damp places throughout the 

 greater part of the kingdom, but more especially in the south ; 

 and in some districts Orchis maculata and O. mascula are 



FIG. io. ONCIDIUM TIGRINUM. 



important features of the local flora. As regards the extremes of 

 distribution, it may be mentioned that Calypso borealis has 

 been noticed as far north as 68 deg. ; in the south Earina 

 mucronata has been found in New Zealand, in latitude 35 deg. ; 

 and Gunnia australis in latitude 41 deg. ; and Dendrobium moni- 

 liforme has been observed in Japan, latitude 37 deg. to 38 deg. 

 north corresponding to the south of Spain. One of the most widely 

 spread orchids is Spiranthes australis, which is said to range 

 over 100 deg. of latitude, namely from the Altai mountains in the 

 north to New Zealand in the south. 



