Listera. | LXXXI, ORCHIDACEZ. 439 
On mountain heaths, in northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and America, 
extending to the Alps and the Caucasus. In Britain, most common in 
Scotland, the north of England, and some parts of Ireland. #7. summer. 
VUl. NEOTTIA. NEOTTIA. 
A genus of very few European and north Asiatic species, distinguished 
from Listera by the brown stems with sheathing scales instead of leaves, 
and by a rather longer column in the flower. 
1. N. Nidus-avis, Linn. (fig. 989). Bird’s-nest Neottia.—The 
rootstock consists of a dense mass of thick, rather succulent fibres. 
Stem a foot high or rather more, of a pale-brown colour, as well as the few 
lcose sheathing scales which replace the leaves. Spike rather dense, 3 or 4 
inches long, with a few distant flowers below it, all dingy-brown. Sepals 
broadly ovate, almost acute, about 23 to 3 lines long; petals more rounded ; 
lip twice as long, deeply cleft at the extremity into 2 oblong, diverging 
lobes. 
In woods of Europe and western Siberia, extending eastward to the 
Caucasus, although never a very common plant. In Britain, it is found in 
many parts of England, Ireland, and southern and central Scotland. 2. 
spring and early summer. 
ees 
VIII. EPIPOGUM. EPIPOGUM. 
A single species, leafless like Corallorhiza and Neottia, but witha very 
different spurred flower. 
1. B. aphytlum, Sw. (fig. 990). . Leafless Hpipogum.—The rootstock 
produces a number of short, thick, fleshy branches, like those of Corallo- 
rhiza. Stem about 6 inches high, of a pale colour, with a few short, sheath- 
ing bracts. Flowers 3 or 4 in the raceme, rather large, of a pale yellowish 
hue, pendulous, with the lip upwards. Sepals and petals narrow-lanceolate ; 
lip large, ovate, somewhat concave, marked with raised dots on the sur- 
face, with an oblong lobe on each side at its base, and a thick, projecting 
_ spur underneath. Column short, with a shortly stalked terminal anther. .- 
Among rotten leaves, in woods and shady places, scattered over Europe 
and central and temperate Asia, but everywhere very scarce. In Britain, 
found only once or twice at Tedstone Delamere, in Herefordshire. 7. 
August. 
IX. SPIRANTHES. SPIRANTH. 
Rootstock producing a few oblong tubers or thickish fibres. Stem leafy, 
or sometimes the flower-stems with scales only, and radical leaves by its 
side. Flowers small, ina more or less spirally-twisted spike. Sepals and 
petals nearly alike, erect or only spreading at the tips; the lateral sepals 
oblique, covering the base of the lip; the upper sepal cohering with the 
petals. Lip oblong, concave at the base, dilated and spreading at the 
extremity. Column arching, with the anther attached to the back. 
An extensive genus, spread over the greater part of the globe, and readily 
known by the spirally twisted spikes, | | 
