440 THE ORCHID FAMILY. [Ncottia. 



1. IT. Nidus-avis, Linn. (fig. 991). Common B. The rootstock con- 

 sists of a dense mass of thick, rather succulent fibres. Stem a foot 

 high or rather more, of a pale-brown colour, as well as the few loose 

 sheathing scales which replace the leaves. Spike rather dense, 3 or 4 

 inches long, with a few distant flowers below it, all dingy-brown. 

 Sepals broadly ovate, almost acute, about 2 to 3 lines long ; petals 

 more rounded ; lip twice as long, deeply cleft at the extremity into 2 

 oblong, diverging lobes. 



In woods of Europe and western Siberia, extending eastward to the 

 Caucasus, although never a very common plant. In Britain, it is found 

 in many parts of England, Ireland, and southern and central Scotland. 

 Fl. spring and early summer 



VIII. EPIPOGUM. EPIPOGUM. 



A single species, leafless like Corallorhiza and Neottia, but with a very 

 different spurred flower. 



1. E. aphyllum, Sw. (fig. 992). Leafless E. The rootstock produces 

 a number of short, thick, fleshy branches, like those of Corallorhiza. 

 Stem about 6 inches high, of a pale colour, with a few short, sheathing 

 bracts. Flowers 3 or 4 in the raceme, rather large, of a pale yellowish 

 hue, pendulous, with the lip upwards. Sepals and petals narrow-lanceo- 

 late ; lip large, ovate, somewhat concave, marked with raised dots on 

 the surface, with an oblong lobe on each side at its base, and a thick, 

 projecting spur underneath. Column short, with a shortly stalked 

 terminal anther. 



Among rotten leaves, in woods and shady places, scattered over Europe 

 and central and temperate Asia, but everywhere very scarce. In Britain, 

 found only once or twice at Tedstone Delamere, in Herefordshire. Fl. 

 August. 



IX. SPIRANTHES. LADY'S TRESSES. 



Rootstock producing a few oblong tubers or thickish fibres. Stem 

 leafy, or sometimes the flower-stems with scales only, and radical leaves 

 by its side. Flowers small, in a more or less spirally-twisted spike. 

 Sepals and petals nearly alike, erect or only spreading at the tips ; the 

 lateral sepals oblique, covering the base of the lip ; the upper sepal 

 cohering with the petals. Lip oblong, concave at the base, dilated 

 and spreading at the extremity. Column arching, with the anther 

 attached to the back. 



An extensive genus, spread over the greater part of the globe, and 

 readily known by the spirally twisted spikes. 

 Leaves radical, ovate, or oblong ; the stems bearing short scales 



only l. S. autunmalis. 



Leaves all narrow, near the base of the flowering stem. 



Spike 2 to 3 inches long, the flowers in one row . . . 2. <S. cestivalis. 



Spike dense, 1 to 1J inches long, the flowers in three rows . 3. S. liomazoviana. 



1. S. autunmalis, Rich (fig. 993). Common L. The rootstock pro- 

 duces every year 2 or 3 thick, oblong tubers, and a tuft of 3 or 4 broadly 

 ovate or oblong, spreading radical leaves, seldom above an inch long. 

 Flowering stems by the side of the tuft of leaves, 6 to 8 inches high, 



