326 Rolfe, — On Habenari-orchis 
which masked, but did not altogether obliterate, the former 
colour. The spur is remarkably modified, both in shape and 
size, having neither the long slender and tapering form of the 
Orchis , nor the very short saccate form of the Habenaria , but 
a linear-oblong, very slightly clavate body barely over a line 
in length. With regard to the anther, the only really essential 
difference between the two genera, the balance of characters 
is rather in favour of the Habenaida parent. The two cells 
are quite parallel, and the glands are exposed, i. e. not enclosed 
within a pair of pouches, as in Orchis , nor do the two cells 
slightly diverge upwards, as in Orchis maculata. There is, 
however, either a slight abnormality in the development of 
the tissue at this point, which causes the glands to be more 
than usually exposed, as shown in the drawing, or else a 
shrinking of tissue has taken place before the drawing was 
made. This point was not carefully observed until afterwards, 
when the specimen was not absolutely fresh. The pollinia, 
however, are normally developed, as shown in the drawing. 
The occurrence of this hybrid is very interesting, as natural 
hybrids appear to be very rare in Britain, though Orchis 
la tifolio- maculata has been recorded from Hampshire (Towns- 
end, FI. of Hampsh., p. 341) and from Plymouth (Rolfe in 
Gard. Chron., 1889, pt. II, p. 10). Nor have I succeeded in 
finding any record of the occurrence of this particular hybrid 
on the continent of Europe. The one to which it is most 
closely analogous has been called Platanthera Erdingeri , 
Kerner (Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, XV, p. 229, t. 4, figs. 4-9), 
a natural hybrid between Habenaria viridis and Orchis sam - 
bncina , found on the Plateau des Klauswaldes, in Austria. 
As the present plant is a hybrid between species of two 
distinct genera, it may be of interest to call attention to other 
instances of generic hybrids among Orchids. At least four 
such cases are known in a wild state ; namely, hybrids between 
Acer as and Orchis , Serapias and Orchis , L celia and Cattleya , , 
and between Cattleya and Epidendrum . The first is a natural 
hybrid between Aceras an thropophora and Orchis militarise 
found in the forest of Fontainebleau. Of the second, 
