EPIPACTIS ATROVIRIDIS 25 
In his Flora of Herefordshire (p. 298) the Rev. W. H. Purchas, 
quoting from his paper in this Journal for 1885, p. 201, expresses 
the opinion that many of the so-called specimens of E. atrorubens 
Schultes do not belong to the original /. ovalis of Babington, but 
represent a form of the genus that holds a place between the 
ve 
areas. The original ovalis does indeed seem to stand fairly apart, 
yet as soon as you compare the Hureioidahies with the Westmore- 
- land so-called ovalis and with specimens named media by Babing- 
ton and others, it becomes evident that there is no actual stopping- 
point; they represent phases of variation which, regarded as of 
epipactis of the succeeding year will have very wide leaves; as the 
underwood grows the leaves will become sensibly narrower, while 
the latifolia would almost pass for media. I have specimens named 
atrorubens from Giggleswick Scar base, in which the leaves are 
half as wide again as Mr. Linton’s drawing, and the lower bracts 
are eight times the length of the flower; I call it E. ger Se At 
the other en ave a Settle ete named HF. ovalis Bab. 
gathered by Mr. Tatham, July, 1844, that has truly oval pein 
gradually merging into very small bracts at the base of the flow 
ing spike; all the floral bracts are shorter than the flowers ; in fact, 
it is more like micropAyila than ovalis. Between these two extremes 
I have specimens of almost every degree of size, although the 
Settle 1844 ovalis stands apart from all. Many of the Great 
Orme’s Head examples have leaves at the base that may be called 
subrotund, the next pair becoming oval or nearly so; with this 
some of the Co. Clare examples closely correspond, the Sutherland 
oe ee being rather less rotund. With these specimens spread 
out be me, I do not see how Mr. Linton’s plant can be con- 
par vieote spositically distinct ; I should call it avariety, and would 
place under Mr. Linton’s name specimens from Hereford, West- 
siewsland: and Silverdale, ee At Symond’s Yat, W. 
Gloster, there occurs a plan me by Miss Armitage that is 
difficult to place; by the tua it is ¥ Atemersrtt but its habit is 
more that of atroviridis. There 7. sresrare plant from Brecon, 
gathered by Mr. C. B. Clarke, who notes on the label, “ banal 
hunches crenate rugose; lips Seediicg sepals.” In habit it is 
atrorubens, but the bracts are large, the floral (lowermost) twice 
the length of the flowers. These plants seem difficult to cultivate ; . 
I could not keep the Orme’s Head plant through the winter. I 
hoped to see the effect of eulierabican on the leaf and bract deve- 
lopment, but failed. 
