June, 1918.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 125 
¥ | ORCHIS FOLIOSO-MACULATA. | v 
STRONG plant of this handsome hybrid between O. foliosa and 
O. maculata is blooming in the rockwork at Kew, with numerous 
others of O. Braunii, the corresponding hybrid between O. latifolia and 
O. maculata. It was obtained from the collection of W. R. St. Quentin, 
Esq., of Scarborough, but whether it is one of those which appeared 
originally in the collection of C. Wolley Dod, Esq., we are unable to say. 
The history of the latter was given by Mr. Wolley Dod (Gard. Chron., 
1899, i. p. 179) as follows :— 
“Orchis foliosa makes hybrids with O. maculata. I have for many 
years grown O. foliosa as a hardy plant. Some years ago I noticed spotted 
leaves amongst them, but now that I have picked out many of these hybrids 
I find that plain leaves are as common in them as spotted. The flower 
spike is longer, the flowers smaller, and the general characters and habit 
partakes of both parents. They make excellent border plants.” 
We believe that the hybrid was subsequently distributed, though it may 
also have appeared independently in other collections where the two species 
are grown together. At all events, on July 3, 1900, Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, exhibited spikes of it at a meeting of the R.H.S., together with 
spikes of the supposed parents. It was recorded as fairly intermediate in 
character, the flowers being purple, and most like the Madeiran O. foliosa, 
with the leaves handsomely spotted (O.R., vill. p. 251). 
The circumstances under which the plant appeared in this collection are 
interesting, and were thus recorded by Mr. Wolley Dod under the heading 
“Spontaneous Hybrids of Hardy Plants.’” He remarked: “ In the flower 
garden at Edge Hall weeding is performed with great discrimination, and a 
large proportion of self-sown seedlings is allowed to grow to maturity. Asa 
consequence of this many spontaneous hybrids have sprung up in the course 
Of years.” These are then discussed in detail, and after the remarks on the 
hybrid above-named we find the following note on Orchis maculata :— 
“Q. maculata comes up spontaneously in such spots of the garden as it 
fancies, the seeds being plentifully present in the soil. A favourite spot for 
it to come is the centre of the mass of rhizomes of a German Iris. I may 
mention as a sign of the prevalence of Orchis maculata in the native soil, 
that near the garden is a field, which had been for many years ploughed 
land, but became full of this flower two years after it was laid down for 
Pasture. In that case the roots may have been dormant in the soil, but I 
am sure that those in my garden came from seed.” 
Another closely-allied hybrid has since been described. Under the 
