9 ^ 
NATURE NOTES 
the group as a whole ; in B., while the odour of tlie group was 
as distinct as that of A., some of the individual specimens 
possessed little, if any, perceptible scent ; in C., while one or 
two specimens had a faint specific odour, the group as a whole 
had a vegetable odour but no specific scent ; in D. there was no 
odour, either individually or collectively. 
It will thus be seen, not only that Orchis maculata tends to 
vary alike in colour, form, and odour, but that all these variations 
tend to be closely correlated. 
The tuber in this orchid also tends to vary, being either 
palmate or ovoid ; but beyond ascertaining the fact of this 
variation, I made no observation as to its relation to the other 
variations noted. 
Carhis Bay, Cornwall. Havelock Ellis. 
On receiving this article last autumn we called the attention 
of the writer to the following passage in the Rev. E. E. Linton’s 
then recently published “ Flora of Bournemouth ” : — 
“ Orchis maculata : sub-sp. encetorum. — -More slender than the 
type ; stem usuall)^ somewhat purplish above ; leaves narrower, 
more or less recurved, even the lower cauline more or less 
acuminate, carinate and folded ; spike i to 2 inches, broadly 
pyramidal, at length oblong; bracts purplish; ilowers pale, 
scentless, with rose-purple markings, ground commonly white 
or tinged with pink, but sometimes of deeper colour ; outer line 
of markings nearly or quite complete ; nectary slender, slightly 
enlarged or not at all upwards, throat narrow ; lower lip sub- 
orbicular, rounded in outline, rather spreading ; mid-lobe much 
smaller than the broad obliquely truncate or crenate lateral 
lobes, not exceeding them in length and usually shorter or 
somewhat recurved. 
“ Compared with this sub-species, or rather species, if a suffi- 
cient number of these distinctions are found on further examina- 
tion to hold good, the type is rather a stouter and commonly 
bigger plant, with broader, straighter leaves, less carinate and 
folded, frequently flat, spike ik to inches, ovate-oblong in 
flowering, oblong at length, bracts more usually (? always) 
green ; flowers with dark rose-purple markings (the outer line 
pi. m. disjointed) on a pale rose-purple ground ; faintly aromatic 
(? always) ; nectary stouter, enlarged upwards, throat gaping 
obviously ; lip deeply 3 cleft, vertically pendent ; lobes sub- 
equal, lateral obliquely oblong crenulate ; mid-lobe deltoid- 
oblong or deltoid-acuminate, distinctly exceeding and not much, 
if at all, narrower than the lateral, usually straight. 
“ These two plants have a wide distribution in Britain ; sub- 
sp. ericetorum has been noted from Caithness and Sunderland 
to the south coast and Guernsey, also from co. Wicklow. A 
supposed hybrid between the two occurred m Glen Lochay, 
Perthshire, but they are seldom found in the same locality.” 
Mr. Havelock Ellis, in reply, points out that the only at all 
