THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
[December, 1921. 
figs. 21 and 22. The species is normally dwarf, about 1 to 1*5 dm. high, 
with leaves more or less covered with very small spots, which are often 
found only at the base or tip of the leaves. The flowers are of a very rich 
.dark purple. 
We distinguish two forms, the one (a) herewith reproduced, we regard as 
the type, with a pointed diamond-shaped lip, scarcely divided, and a lip- 
pattern of very heavy broken dark-purple lines. This is a very beautiful 
plant, which we have had under observation for years at Aberystwyth. 
This summer it has been found by Dr. Druce at Portmadoc. The other 
form (b) is found in Westmoreland, the Isle of Arran, and elsewhere in 
Scotland. It differs from form (a) in having a more rounded, three-lobed 
lip, and a pattern of rather narrower, less broken lines, very like the usual 
latifolia type, from which it is distinguished by its dwarf habit, its dark 
brilliant colour, and the minute leaf-spots which are never streaks or 
blotches. 
The species has also been observed in some stations in Holland. In 
the photograph the leaf-spots are scarcely visible, except on one or two 
leaves, though on all the plants they were fairly numerous. The height of 
the plants was about 1*5 dm. The specimen given is quite typical. 
Several hybrids have been noted. At Aberystwyth form (a) crosses with 
O. latifolia and with O. ericetorum. Coloured drawings of these hybrids 
are given in pi. 556 above referred to, figs, n and 12. The first is found in 
fair numbers, the second only occasionally. Of form (b) the corresponding 
hybrids with O. latifolia and O. ericetorum have been found, and also with 
■O. Fuchsii, and two exceedingly interesting forms crossing with Gymnadenia 
conopsea. One of these was figured in the Orchid Review, Nov., 1921, and 
both were briefly described. The hybrids with O. latifolia and the Spotted 
Orchids are fairly easy to identify. They have about half the tone-depth 
x>f the purpurella parent, and are intermediate in other ways, as may be 
seen by comparing fig. 11 on the coloured plate with figs. 9 and 13, and 
fig. 12 with figs. 9 and 17. 
The question was carefully considered whether we had not here simply 
O. cruenta, O. F. Mueller. We have not seen living specimens of this 
plant, but as far as can be judged from the literature, it is not the same as 
O. purpurella, being nearer to O. incarnata. One or two records of 
O. cruenta which have appeared, e.g., in Cumberland and Durham, are 
almost certainly our plant. 
Since the preceding paragraph was written, we have been able, by the 
courtesy of Dr. Druce, to see a sheet of specimens of O. cruenta from 
Sweden, by the examination of which we are enabled to speak with much 
more confidence than formerly, since they were very well preserved. There 
ran be no doubt that O. cruenta is nearer to O. incarnata than is O. 
