Botany. 157 



(404) OPHRYS, L. 



1459. 0. apifera, Huds. (BEE ORCHID), 6 7, P. One of the few 

 self -fertilising orchids (see CEPHALANTHERA) ; the pollinia 

 are very weak and bend over so as to touch the stigma, 

 almost as soon as the flower opens (Darwin). On the 

 chalk ; frequent. 



1. Charlton chalk pit, 4 plants, '94. Dod. 



2. Above chalk quarry, Eynsford (with Man Orchid), 



'06. R.H.C. 



3. On upper slopes of both sides of the Vale of Cudham, 



'06. W.H.G. 



4. Meadows between Cudham and Brasted, '06. W.H.G. 



5. Formerly abundant but now rare on banks of the 



" Greenhill " meadows, near Down. W.H.G. 



6. A dwarfed form about 3 ins. high with never more 



than 4 fls. was once pi. in the meadow at Crofton 

 which is used as a gipsy encampment in the fruit 

 picking season. The soil is the basement of the 

 London Clay, rendered calcareous by chalky 

 hill-wash from Orpington. In this meadow of 

 seven acres I have seen Ophrys apifera, Orchis 

 maculata, latifolia, mascula, Blackstonia perfoliata, 

 and Ophioglossum vulgatum, a singularly mixed 

 flora. Most of these have disappeared during the 

 last five or six years. W.H.G. 

 a. First record, 1597 : Greenhithe. 



0. apifera X aranif era (?) 



1. Magpie Bottom, near Shoreham, '98. Bruce. 



1461. 0. sphegodes, Miller (ARANIFERA, Huds.), SPIDER ORCHID, 



4 5, P. Chalky places ; rare. 



1. At foot of the Downs above Paddlesworth, near 



Snodland. H. 

 a. First record, 1670 : Northfleet. 



1462. 0. muscifera, Huds. (FLY ORCHID), 56, P. Woods and 



thickets on and near the chalk ; frequent in district 2. 



1. Fairly pi. on borders of woods between Cudham and 



Brasted, '06. W.H.G. 



2. Formerly pi., but now rare on borders of woods, on 



the Down side of the Vale of Cudham. W.H.G. 



a. Dry chalky ground between Eltham and N. Cray, 



1724. 



b. First record, 1597 : hills near Greenhithe. 



