156 WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
3. Drooping Lady’s-Tresses. (Spiranthes Romanzof fiana. Chamisso.)— A very rare 
species with much larger, whiter flowers, in 3 rows, in a dense spike 1-4 inches long, terminating a 
leafy stem 5-15 inches high; the leaves round the base of the stem are oval or strap-shaped 
and spreading, but gradually narrow up the stem till near the flower-spike they resemble sheathing 
green bracts ; the root is of a few long thick fleshy fibres. ( Spiranthes gemmipara. Lindley .) 
Very rare. Pastures in the south-west of County Cork. August — September. Perennial. 
VIII. GOODYERA. Brown. — A very similar genus to Lady’s-Tresses (Spiranthes), but differing 
in that the perianth-lip does not embrace the column and is constricted in the middle, as in 
Helleborine, into a cup-shaped portion containing nectar, and a terminal entire lip which is 
pouched at the base, on which the insects alight ; and also in the root being creeping. 
Creeping Goodyera. (Goodyera ripens. R. Brown.)— The only British species. As 
just described. The flowers are small, gaping, creamy-white, in a 1 -sided slightly twisted spike 
1J-5 inches long, terminating a stem 6-15 inches high ; each flower with a bract at the base which 
embraces and is longer than the seedcase ; the stem with glandular hairs, narrow sheathing bracts, 
and a few egg shaped, pointed leaves at the base which have very marked netted veins ; the root 
creeping. (. Peramium repens. Salisb.) [ Plate 50. 
Rare and local. In fir-woods, in Cumberland and Scotland, particularly in the northern counties 
of Scotland. July — August. Perennial. 
IX. HELLEBORINE. (HELLEBORINE. Hill.) — Flowers drooping, stalked, usually greenish 
or reddish, in loose spike-like clusters (racemes), the lip (labellum) is lowermost (inverted) owing 
to the flower-stalk being twisted. The outer row of the perianth is of 3 lobes, spreading, and 
similar to, though longer than, the 2 side lobes of the inner row, the remaining lobe, the lip 
(labellum), is not spurred and is very much constricted and hinged in the middle ; the lower half 
is cup-shaped and contains the nectar, and the terminal part is broad and often toothed, and is a 
good landing place for insects ; it has 2 prominent folds or bosses above, near the hinge. The 
column is short and is prolonged into a short rostellum with a roundish cap ; the anther is terminal, 
stalkless, of 2 oval, united pollen-masses, attached to a single gland on the rostellum ; the stigma 
is directly beneath the rostellum and is 2-lobed and projects in front of the column ; and the 
seedcase is straight. Leafy herbs with the oval stalkless (sessile) leaves, clasping the stem, the 
lowest ones generally reduced to sheaths. ( Epipactis . Adans.) 
(1) Broad-leaved Helleborine. (Helleborine latifolia.) — Perianth-lip with terminal lobe 
roundish heart-shaped with small central recurved point ; stem solitary ; leaves egg- 
shaped. 
(2) Purple Helleborine. (Helleborine violacea.) — Terminal lobe of perianth-lip triangular 
egg-shaped and pointed ; stems numerous ; leaves narrower. 
(3) Dark-green Helleborine. (Helleborine atroviridis.) — Intermediate between numbers 1 
and 4 with reddish flowers and broad leaves. 
(4) Dark-red Helleborine. (Helleborine atroriibens.) — Terminal lobe of perianth-lip broader 
than long, roundish, with short abrupt point ; stem solitary ; leaves small and 
egg-shaped. 
(5) Marsh Helleborine. (Helleborine longifdlia.) — Terminal lobe of perianth-lip roundish 
and scalloped ; stem solitary ; leaves narrow. 
1. Broad-leaved Helleborine. (Helleborine latifolia. Druce.) — As just described. 
The flowers are drooping, shortly stalked, purple, or green with a purple lip, in a long i-sided 
