158 WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
X. HELLEBORINE. (CEPHALAN'THERA. Rich.) — Flowers large, erect, stalkless (sessile), 
white or pink, in loose spikes ; the lip (labellum) being lowermost (inverted) owing to the twisting 
of the seedcase. The outer row of the perianth of 3 lobes, spreading, egg-shaped or lance-shaped, 
and more or less pointed, similar to the 2 side lobes of the inner row ; the lip (labellum) pouched 
or very shortly spurred at the base, constricted and jointed in the middle, with the terminal portion 
egg-shaped, more or less pointed, sometimes curved back, and without any prominent bosses as in 
the last genus (Helleborine). The column is long and without a rostellum, and is terminated by 
the anther, which is shortly and thickly stalked, and movable ; the stigma is transverse ; and the 
pollen mealy, in 2 club-shaped masses ; the seedcase is twisted. Leafy herbs with oval or lance- 
shaped, stalkless leaves, clasping the stem, the lowest ones generally reduced to sheaths. 
(1) Red Helleborine. (Cephalan'thera rubra.) — Flowers red ; bracts longer than the downy 
seedcase ; leaves oblong and lance-shaped. 
(2) Long-leaved Helleborine. (Cephalan'thera longifdlia.) — Flowers pure w'hite; bracts 
shorter than the seedcase ; leaves long and narrow. 
(3) Broad-leaved Helleborine. (Cephalan'thera grandiflora.) — Flowers yellowish-white ; 
bracts longer than the seedcase ; leaves broad and shorter. 
1. Red Helleborine. (Cephalan'thera rubra. Rich.) — As just described. The 
flowers are of a purplish-rose colour, with a narrow white lip about as long as the other perianth- 
lobes, the terminal portion is streaked and bordered with purplish-rose ; the bracts are longer than 
the downy seedcase, about the same length as the flowers ; the stem is about 1 foot high, slender, 
with numerous leaves, the lowest being oblong and the middle and upper ones narrowly lance- 
shaped, pointed, and long ; the root is creeping and has numerous thick fleshy root-fibres. 
\Plate 50. 
Very rare. Woods on limestone in Gloucestershire. June — July. Perennial. 
2 . Long-leaved Helleborine. (Cephalan'thera longifolia. Fritsch.)— A very similar 
species to the last, with pure white flowers ; the outer perianth-lobes pointed, the lip marked with 
orange-yellow ; the bracts very short, shorter than the smooth seedcases ; the stem taller, some- 
times even 2 feet high, and the leaves longer. ( Cephalanthera etisifolia. Rich.) [ Plate 50. 
Rare, local. In woods ; distributed throughout England, and in Scotland as far north as Perth and 
Argyle ; very rare in Ireland. May — June. Perennial. 
3. Broad-leaved Helleborine. (Cephalan'thera grandiflbra. Gray.) — A similar 
species to the Long-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia), but stouter; the flowers are 
rather larger and cream-coloured or yellowish ; the outer perianth-lobes are blunt ; the bracts 
are longer than the seedcase, the lower ones being very leaf-like and longer than the flowers ; there 
are often several stems from the one root, and the leaves are broader and much shorter, the lower 
ones being broadly egg-shaped and the upper broadly lance-shaped. ( Cephalanthera pallens. 
Rich.) 
Rare. In woods, especially on chalk, in many counties throughout England, more frequent in the 
south. June. Perennial. 
Tribe IV. ARETHUSE/E. — Anther terminal, ultimately free ; pollen-masses stalked ; pollen 
pulpy or powdery, more or less coherent. 
XI. EPIPOGUM. S. G. Gmel. — A genus consisting of the one species : — 
Leafless Epipogum. (Epipbg’um aphyllum. Swartz.) — Flowers large, drooping, 
stalked, yellow, with a w'hite lip dotted with purple, 1-7 in a loose cluster (raceme) ; the lip of the 
