THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
[October, 1921. 
Epipactis Latifolia.— The Journal of Botany for September, 1920, 
contained a note on the British species of Epipactis. In the issue of 
February, 1921, is published “ an attempt to justify the position there taken 
up as to the forms hitherto generally assigned to E. latifolia or media.” 
The authors. Rev. T. Stephenson, D.D., and Mr. T. A. Stephenson, M.Sc;/ 
are of opinion that the whole situation, as far as British forms are con¬ 
cerned, has been thoroughly cleared up by the skill and patience of Col. 
Godfery. The amount of light does not make much difference to the tint 
pf the flowers. The authors saw under the same bush, in flower at the 
same time, a pure green spike next to a bright purple one, and they also 
found purple flowers in deep shade, and dull green ones in profusion by the 
roadside in quite sunny positions. At Southport the pale green viridiflora 
is said to grow right out in the open, receiving every hour of sunshine. 
Oncidium ornithorhynchum.— Although this species has been known 
for more than a century, it never seems to become too plentiful in collections. 
There are two forms of the coloured type, one having darker and larger 
flowers. In 1873 an albino variety appeared in Mr. John Day’s noted 
collection at Tottenham and was described as albiflorum by Reichenbach 
(Gard . Chron., 1873, p. 503). He remarked: “ A very striking variety with 
a whitish flower, only the calli being yellow. When I opened the box, I 
perceived the strongest smell of Gymnadenia conopsea imaginable. Mr. 
Day, whom I have to thank for the very ornamental inflorescence, had not 
even remarked the smell, though we all admire his eminent powers of 
observation. The moral is, the smell may have been developed later, as 
there are plants, and Orchids, which only have a perfume at certain times ; 
hence we should be very cautious in judging others. I remember Mr. W. 
Saunders declared the smell of a Catasetum to be that of lemons, while I 
found it to be like the essence of roses. Again Mr. Saunders and myself 
found the smell of Coeliopsis like that of hyacinths, when Mr. Bateman 
judged them to smell of a druggist’s shop. It is well-known how the 
intensity changes the effect on our nervous olfactories, as one can best judge 
from fruits of Coriander, which; bug-like as they smell, give, when the oil 
is well expressed, a most pleasant perfume.” Well, whatever Reichen- 
bach’s opinion seemed to have been regarding the smell, the point that 
concernes us is the albino nature. Mr. B. S. Williams purchased a portion 
of Mr. Day’s stock and duly distributed it to their customers, and it is 
worthy of note that at a subsequent auction sale, one of the plants realised 
the sum of fifty guineas, so much was this variety then esteemed. One other 
pomt must be mentioned: Why has the name of this variety been changed 
from albiflorum to album ? 
