ORCHIDS OF THE DERWENT VALLEY. 



J. W. FAWCETT, 

 Darlington. 



The Derwent is a tributary of the Tyne. It is formed by the 

 junction of two small streams — the Beldon and Knuckton Burns 

 — which unite about a mile west of Blanchland, and is about 

 twenty-five miles in length, with a watershed having a total 

 area of about 200 square miles. For the first twenty miles or 

 so of its length it forms the boundary between the counties of 

 Northumberland and Durham. The valley, which is noted for 

 its scenic beauty, is rich in floral treasures, and seems to be 

 particularly so in the Orchid family, fourteen species out of 

 twenty-one recorded British ones being found within its limits. 

 Its geological structure is the Millstone Grit in its upper portion 

 and the Coal Measures in its lower portion, with a small area 

 of Carboniferous Limestone (Fell-top Limestone) between them 

 near the centre of the valley. The following is a list of the 

 species of Orchids found in the valley, the result of my own 

 personal observation. The letters D. and N. appended after 

 the localities signify that the places are in Durham or 

 Northumberland, and the figures i, 2, 3 that the strata on 

 which they grow is (i) Millstone Grit, (2) Carboniferous Lime- 

 stone, and (3) Coal Measures. 



Malaxis paludosa Sw. Mugfg-leswick Common (D. i). 

 Neottia Nidus avis Rich. The Sneep (N. i and 2) ; near Alansford on 



both sides of the Derwent (D. 2 and N. 2) ; rare. 

 Li Stera COrdata K.Br. Beldon Moor (D. i); Blanchland Common (N. i); 



Edmundbyers and Mug-gflesvvick Moors (D. i and 2). 

 Listera ovata R.Br. The Sneep (N. 1 and 2) ; and Mug-g^leswick Woods 



(D. I and 2). 

 Epipactis latifolia All. In Gibside Woods (D. 3); Chopwell Woods (D. 



3) ; woods near Shotley Bridg-e (D. 3 and N. 3) ; woods near Muggles- 



wick (D. 1 and 2). 

 Orchis Mono L. In Chopwell Woods (D. 3) ; in Hamsterley Woods 



(D. 3) ; in woods near Shotley Hall (N. 3) ; in woods near Muggleswick 



(D. 2) ; in thickets near the Sneep (N. 2). 

 Orchis mascula L. Frequent in woods and pastures at Chopwell (D. 3) ; 



Medomsley (D. 3) ; Shotley (N. 3) ; Muggleswick (D. i and 2). 

 Orchis latifolia L. In damp pastures near Swalwell, Lintzford, Shotley 



Bridge (all D. 3); and at the Sneep (N. i and 2). 

 Orchis macuiata L. Common in damp pastures throughout the valley. 

 Habenaria conopsea South. Frequent in meadows and dry pastures at 



Gibside and Medomsley (D. 3) ; and Shotley (N. i ). 

 Habenaria bifolia R.Br. On pasture lands at Medomslev (D. 3) ; Shotley 



(N. 2) . 



1903 April I. 



