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from which it may be readily distinguished by the
marks which we have already pointed out under that
species; the spur in this is very short, the bractes are
very small, resembling little scales, tlie flower is of a
darker colour, the tufts of hairs on the lahellum are
more numerous, larger, and of a darker colour; there
can be no doubt but this is the O. militaris of Willde-
now, Jacqiiin, and the Hortus Kewensis, but it has
nothing to do either with O. militaris, or O. fusca of
English Botany, which was suspected to be the case by
Mr.Bicheno, in his observations on the British Species,
in the 12th volume, p. 28 to 34, of the Linnean Society’s
transactions; the English O. militaris will therefore,
as he supposes, require a different name; and as Sir
J. E. Smith was the first English writer who distinguished
it from O. fusca, it may be named O. Smithii;
the Synonyms are O . militaris, Eng. bot. 1 .1873, and
Bicheno, Linn, trans. v. 12. p. 31; but not of Willde-
now, and other continental Botanists. We feel much
obliged to Mr. David Don for assisting us to examine
the various figures and synonyms in the different works
in Mr. Lambert’s Library, to clear up the confusion of
the different species. The bulbs of this species when
received from Switzerland were planted in pots, in an
equal mixture of light turfy loam, peat, and sand ; but
they would succeed much better, if a bed were made for
them in rather a sloping situation, that the roots might
not get rotten with the wet remaining ahout them; the soil
to be composed of the same materials, with a quantity
of pounded chalk mixed with it, and to be a little shaded
from the scorching sun in Summer, to imitate the grass
amongst which they grow in their native places, and
which will be consequently wanting here : but the best
way to preserve them perpetually, would be as we mentioned
under the last species, to plant some in the same
sort of situation as O. fusca, O. Smithii, or any other
nearly related species grows in naturally; they would
then without doubt ripen their seeds, and naturalize
themselves.
1. The small B ra c te a t the base o f the germen. 2. The th re e oute r leaflets
o f the P e rian th ium . 3. The two in n e r lin ear leaflets. 4. Labellum, showing
tb e fascicles o f p urple hairs on the u p p er side. 5. T h e twisted germen te rmin
ated hy the column, th e an th er attached to the stigma, showing th e two lobes
approximating each o th e r, below which is the spur about h a lf the length o f the
germen.
A