ladiat.t;. 49 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Pereniiial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Rootstoek very sli-nder, extensively creeping'. Stem 2 to (I inelies 

 hi^h, unless when fjrowin;,' amon^f \ou<^ grass, in wliieli ease it sometimes 

 attains to 1 tout or more in length. Leaves |; to 1 inch long, the 

 lower ones broader tiiat the others, and often with a single tooth at the 

 base, thus showing a tendency to become hastate. Pedicels generally 

 about as long as the calyx, which is rather shorter in proportion to its 

 breadth than that of S. galericulata. Flowers about j^ ineli long, 

 pale purplish pink; lower lip of the corolla vai-iegated witii white and 

 rose colour. Nucules similar to those of S. galericulata, but smaller. 

 Plant subglabrous, with the angles of the stem, leaves, and floweriu'^ 

 calyx finely pubescent. 



Lesser Shdl-cap. 



French, Tojiic nalnc. German, l-lcincr Schildlrager. 



GENUS X/.— MELITTIS. Linn. 



Calyx short, subbilabiatc, membranous, enlarging in fruit ; uj^per 

 lip broad, with 3 very short teeth; lower lip with 2 large teeth; all 

 the teeth erect, and A\athout spinous points. Corolla bilabiate; upper 

 lip erect, orbicular, slightly vaulted; lower lip spreading, 3-lobed. 

 Stamens 4; filaments parallel under the upper lip of the corolla; 

 anthers approximate in pairs ; cells divaricate, those of each pair of 

 anthers forming a cross, each cell opening by a separate longitudinal 

 cleft. Nucules smooth, rounded at the summit. 



An herb with large showj' flowers, solitary or 2 or 3 together in the 

 axils of bracts, which ai'e undistinguishable from the leaves. 



The origin of the name of this genus is the Greek word fiiXtTra (mclitta'), a bee, on 

 account of the honey it produces, or from mcl, honey. 



SPECIES I.— ME LIT TIS MELISSOPHYLLUM. Linn. 



Pl.^tes MLXII. MLXIII. 



Bdch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVIH. Tab. MCCH. Fig. 1. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 434. 



The only known species. 



In woods and bushy places. Rather rare, and confined to the south 

 western counties ; extending cast to Sussex and mainland Hants, and 

 north to Somerset, Gloucester, and Cardigan ; reported also from 

 Glamorgan and Pembroke, but its occurrence in these two counties is 

 not (so far as I am aware) confirmed by recent authorities. 



England. Perennial. Spring. 

 VOL. vii. n 



