The Palmate Orchids of Craven 
33 
in suitable years, attains much more luxuriant proportions 
than the type ; indeed, it is our biggest palmate orchis. Our 
northern 0 . pulchrior does not differ from its southern equiva- 
lent either in size or minor details. I have seen it growing 
in Dorset in immense colonies. 
Type Orchis prcetermissa I have never seen in Craven. 
Its variety occurs, but not abundantly in any one spot. This 
variety probably takes the place of the type in the hilly parts 
of the north. It is a more slender and rather paler in colour, 
and its leaves are usually unspotted. To illustrate how 
difficult the palmate orchids can be I mention the following. 
Plants from a certain colony of Orchis prcetermissa Var. 
pulchella which has been observed for many years were sent 
to Kew. The specialists there thought at first the orchids 
were either exceptional forms of 0 . purpurella , or a hybrid 
between this and 0 . prcetermissa Var. pulchella, as leaves on 
some of the plants were very faintly spotted towards the tip. 
On examining further material, it was identified as 0 . 
prcetermissa Var. pulchella. 
Our most interesting species is Orchis purpurella. Although 
this orchis grows in several places in fair abundance it was 
only noted in Craven for the first time in 1931 when a gathering 
was sent to Kew, who were very interested in it, Craven being 
a new locality for the species. Kew expressed the view that 
our plant was form B as found by the Stephensons at Amble- 
side. There is no doubt whatever that this is a good species, 
for it grows in colonies quite apart and each plant exactly 
alike. Hybrids are found occasionally with one of the spotted 
orchids as the other parent. The lip of this plant is broad, 
and of a very rich deep purple colour, and it differs from that 
of any other palmate orchid by the fact that it is almost 
entire. The leaves are more or less faintly spotted at the 
tip. Orchis purpurella and 0 . prcetermissa Var. pulchella 
have a superficial resemblance to each other, but their separa- 
tion presents no difficulty to the writer. I have not observed 
a plant which suggested a hybrid between the two. 
Orchis maculata is common but almost invariably on 
a peaty soil. It is quite a distinct species, for in several 
places it grows along with 0 . fuchsii without any intermediates 
occurring. In other places where a few intermediates are seen 
they are certainly hybrids. The white form, Var. leucantha 
is sometimes seen, but it is much rarer than the questionable 
0 . O’Kellyi. This white variety, too, is more slender than the 
type and also has unspotted leaves. If 0 . O’Kellyi is a 
species, then this white maculata deserves the same rank. 
By far the commonest of our palmate orchids is 0 . fuchsii. 
It occurs almost anywhere on dry or wet ground on both 
acid and alkaline soils, varying in colour and stature according 
1933 Feb. 1 
B2 
