OECHIDACE^E. 



809 



sided raceme, varying in colour from 

 green to a dingy purple. Sepals ovate- 

 lanceolate, about 3 or 4 lines long. Petals 

 rather smaller. Lip rather small, the 

 lower portion very short. 



In woods and shady places, dispersed 

 over the whole of Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Not 

 unfrequent in Britain, but often appear- 

 ing only in single specimens. Fl. sum- 

 mer, ratlier late. The breadth of the 

 upper leaves, and the precise form and 

 proportions of the terminal lobe of the 

 perianth-lip are liable to considerable 

 variation, but the latter is always much 

 smaller than in the marsh F., and never 

 white. 



Fig. 971. 



2. Marsh Epipactis. Epipactis palustris, Sw. (Fig. 972.) 

 (Serapias, Eng. Bot. t. 270.) 



Not so tall as the broad F., the leaves 

 narrower, usually lanceolate, and the 

 bracts all shorter than the flowers. Ra- 

 cemes loose, but much closer than in 

 the broad E. and not one-sided ; the 

 flowers larger, slightly drooping. Sepals 

 lanceolate, of a pale greenish-purple. 

 Petals rather shorter, white, more or 

 less streaked with pink at the base. Lip 

 of the colour of the petals, but longer 

 even than the sepals, distinctly divided 

 into two portions, the lower one thick 

 and half-clasping the column. 



In moist and marshy places, especially 

 in limestone districts, and near the sea, 

 extending nearly all over Europe and 

 Russian Asia, except the extreme north. 

 Widely spread over Britain, and found 

 in abundance in particular spots, yet not 

 a common plant, and quite rare in Scotland. FL summer. 



Fig. 97i 



