ORCHIPACEJE. 121 



subopposite, sessile, oval, not wedgesliapcd nor cordate at the base. 

 Flowers in a long rather lax raceme. Sepals and lateral petals sub- 

 conuivent, the latter ovate-oblong; labellum more than twice as 

 long as the sepals, broadly strapshaped, cleft at the apex about half- 

 way up into 2 strapshaped segments, but destitute of lateral lobes. 

 Column without a crest. 



In woods and bushy places, especially when they are moist, and in 

 meadows. Common and generally distributed, but not extending to 

 Orkney. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Rootstock shortly creeping, with very numerous fleshy fibres about 

 as thick as a bodkin. Stem 1 to 2 feet high, with 2 sheaths at the 

 base, and 2 leaves about or below the middle. Leaves 2 to 7 inches 

 long, with .3 to 5 strong longitudinal ribs, having fainter ones between 

 them. .Spike 3 to 9 inches long. Bracts scarcely half as long as the 

 pedicels, ovate-deltoid, acuminated, yellowish-green. Perianth seg- 

 ments nearly i inch long. The lateral sepals are a little removed 

 from the connivent upper sepal and petals. The whole of the flowers 

 yellowish-green. Stem above the leaves as well as the rachis and 

 pedicels pubescent with jointed hairs. 



Common Ticay Blade. 



French, Neottie ovale. German, Eibldttriges Zweiblatt. 



GENUS XL—N E O T T I A. Zmn. 



Perianth coloured, the five upper segments hooded and connivent; 

 labellum turned downwards, not spurred, slightly concave at the 

 base, pendulous, bifid at the apex, not contracted in the middle. 

 Column rather short, prolonged into a broad flat entire rostellum 

 without a process at the apex. Anther sessile, applied to the ros- 

 tellum ; pollen-masses clavate-cylindrical, attached to a common gland ; 

 pollen mealy. 



Herbs with thickened fleshy root-fibres in numerous rows, forming 

 a dense mass, and stems without green leaves, but with scarious 

 sheaths representing them. Flowers rather large, in a dense raceme, 

 interrupted below, pointing in all directions, and, as well as the whole 

 plant, dull fawn-colour. 



The name is from vtorna (neottia), a bird's-ncst, to which the fasciculated root is 

 compared. 



VOL. IX. B 



