SPIRANTHES ROMANZOFFIANA IN N. IRF-LAND. 



278 



Sparganium minimum, Potamogeton ohtusifolius, and a profusion of 

 Osmunda regalis, flourish on the bog or in the pools around. 



The following notes, made from an examination of a dozen 

 growing specimens, may be of interest, as it is seldom that 

 European botanists have an opportunity of studying this species 

 in a fresh state. The stems in the Armagh plant are 4-9 in. high, 

 somewhat thin and stiff, smooth and shining. Leaves generally 

 five in number, the lowest two or three at or near the base of the 

 stem, 3-6 in. long, arching, clasping at the base; they are iV~r^ ln * 

 broad, but are rolled in so as to form a tube of less than half that 

 breadth, or a deep channel ; and they generally fall a little short of the 

 base of the spike. The three upper leaves are short, and bract-like in 

 shape, colour, and texture, being of a paler green, and less opaque; 

 their lower half forms a closed tube around the flower-stem, 

 dilating upwards till it is of about twice the diameter of the latter ; 

 the upper half lanceolate, erect. The spike is dense, l-2£ in. 

 long; the flowers are in three vertical rows of from four to 

 eight blossoms each, each flower being twisted to the left through 

 an angle of about 90°, the bract sheathing the right-hand side of 

 the ovary. The flowers are slightly greenish white, and look 

 greener at a short distance, owing to the conspicuous bracts ; they 

 are highly fragrant, and emit a delicious perfume resembling 

 heliotrope ; two or three specimens soon scented a fair-sized room. 

 The root, in the specimens I examined (I took care to leave the 

 root in almost all cases), consisted of three cylindrical tubers about 

 2 in. long. As regards the time of flowering, all the specimens 

 collected on 10th August were in full blossom. In one or two 

 cases the uppermost flowers were not yet expanded, and in a few 

 others the lowest blossoms were withered. 



These notes offer some points of difference from those already 

 published of the Irish plant. The best figures and descriptions to 

 which I have had access are those of Prof. Babington in Trans. 

 Linn. Soc. xix. 632 (1844), and of the third edition of English 

 Botany, t. 974, the figure in the latter work being copied from Bot. 

 Mag. t. 5277. A glance at these shows that the Armagh plant (as 

 represented by twelve specimens) differs from both in its longer, 

 narrower root-leaves with inrolled margins, and in its shorter, 

 denser, untwisted spike. The following table will show the 

 differences as regards dimensions : 



Babington. 



Eng. Bot. 



Fig. Desc. I Fig. 



In. 



In. 



In. 



Desc 



In. 



Armagh Plant. 



Limits. | Average 



In. 



Stem 



Spike 



Lower leaves, length 



,, breadth 



6* 



3 



5-6 

 2-3 ~ 



In. 



7* 5-15 (A. Gray) 

 1-4 (A. Gray) 



1 



■2 



* ■ 



4- 



-9 



1- 



-2| 



3- 



-6 



3 



_ 5 



16 



16 



7 



5 



i 



The margins of the leaves in my plant are invariably much 

 inrolled, and the spike shows a slight twisting only at the top, 



Journal of Botany. — Vol. 30. [Sept. 1892.] 



T 



