Belgaum, Law.
I am indebted to Mr. Law for my only specimen
of this very distinct species. It comes near H.
digitata from which however it seems quite distinct,
especially as regards the petals. The 3 centre nerves
of the leaves are much more conspicuous than shown
in the plate, while the exterior pair, being thin, are
much less so.
1702. Habenaria peristyloidbs (R. W.), leaves
few, 4-6, linear ovate, acuminate, congested near the
base, scape clothed with a few ovate acuminate
scales: racemes compact, short: bracts ovate, acute,
about half the length of the ovary: posterior sepal
ovate, obtuse, broader than the lanceolate ascending
lateral ones: petals obtuse, shorter and broader than
the lateral sepals: lip three-lobed, lateral lobes filiform,
divaricated; middle one shorter, fleshy, ovate,
pointed: spur clavate, about the length of the somewhat
rostrate ovary. Flowers white, capsule oval.
Pulney Mountains, September.
The peculiar character of the lip, so completely
that of Peristyles, at first led to the belief of this
plant belonging to that genus, and has furnished the
specific name.
1703-4. Habenaria Heyneana (Lind., H Per-
rottetiana ? Richd.). Under No. 923 of this work
I have transcribed Dr. Lindley’s character of this
species. The plant there represented did not quite
accord with the character, but did.so in so many
points, as left no doubt on my mind of its being that
species, it may perhaps be H Per rottetiana, Richard.
On going over my Herbarium, selecting materials
for this work, I found numerous specimens, all more
or less agreeing with the character, but none, unless
perhaps E. of the accompanying plate, that seemed
actually to correspond with the character, while at
the same time none, except A. was deemed sufficiently
distinct to admit of its being distinguished
as a species. Under the impression that it was
so, a specific name was assigned to that plant,
but on comparing several specimens with the other
forms, I soon found it difficult to draw distinctions
sufficiently permanent to admit of their being considered
1706. Habenaria elliptica (R. W.), radical
leaves elliptico-lanceolate, acute, attenuated at the
base, those above bract-like, smaller, sub-cucullate,
acuminate: bracts ovate, lanceolate, acuminate,
acute, about the length of the ovary: raceme loose,
many-flowered; flowers sub-pubescent within: sepals
of specific value. The size and form of
the leaves varied more or less in every specimen,
while the secund raceme, large cucullate ventricose
acuminate bracts, more or less deeply 3-parted lip,
with the curved lateral lobes and the nearly equal
sepals and petals were present in alL Under these
circumstances I could scarcely fail arriving at the
conclusion that all the varying forms were referable
to but one species; and that I have endeavoured
satisfactorily to illustrate by selecting 4 of the most
prominent forms and placing them side by side, in
one plate. Should other Botanists think that I have
erred in taking this view it affords materials for the
correction of my error.
1705. Habenaria veridiflora (R. Brown),
radical leaves numerous, narrow, acute, recurved:
raceme loose, many-flowered: bracts subulate, the
length of the pedicels: sepals ovate: petals similar,
smaller: lip 3-parted, a little longer than the sepals,
lateral lobes horizontal, filiform, middle one longer:
spur filiform, pendulous, the length of the ovary.
The station of this plant is not marked. The
drawing was taken from a specimen named by
Dr. Lindley.
ovate, anterior ones reflexed, larger than the
posterior one and petals: petals broad ovate, obtuse,
about the length of the anterior sepals, lip 3-cleft,
lobes equal: spur filiform, pendulous, the length of
the ovary.
Pulney Mountains, in pastures, flowering September.
The plant attains the height of from 12 to 15
inches, flowers greenish-white.
1707. Habenaria affinis (R. W.), radical
leaves elliptico-lanceolate, pointed, tapering below
into a short sheathing petiol, slightly undulated;
stem clothed with numerous ovate much acuminated
foliaceous scales: raceme many-flowered, loose:
bracts shorter than the ovary, acute: sepals and
petals about equal; posterior sepal galiate, anterior
ones reflexed: lip 3-cleft, longer than the sepals;
lateral lobes subulate, middle one narrow lanceolate:
spur incurved or even hooked at the point, filiform,
a little more than half the length of the ovary.
There is no station attached to this specimen, but
it is my impression that I obtained it from Mr. Law
from Belgaum. In the magnified figures the artist
has sadly missed the proportions as regards length
between the spur and ovary. The plant seems very
nearly allied to H elliptica, with reference to which
I have given the specific name affinis.
1708. H abenaria ovalifolia (R. W.), radical
leaves sheathing at the base, oval, acute above,
attenuated below into a short petiol: stem clothed
with a few distant scales: racemes lax, many-flowered
: bracts ovate, acute, shorter than the ovary:
sepals and petals about equal, posterior sepal and
petals galiate, anterior one reflexed, deeply 3-cleft,
lobes lanceolate, lateral ones reflexed, pendulous,
middle one ascending-, erect: spur filiform about
the length of the slender ovary. Flowers a dull
pale pea green.
Malabar and Anamally Hills, flowering July and
August.
This plant is uniform in form but variable in size;
plants from one to four feet may be met with in a
single clump of specimens, for it is often found gregariously
disposed. It seems very distinct from all
those described by Lindley.
1709. Habenaria platyphylla (Spreng.), radical
leaves orbicular, acute, horizontal: spike dense,
many-flowered: bracts setacio-acuminate, half the
length of the ovary: lip 3-toothed, middle one linear
acute, lateral ones short, toothless: sepals equal:
spur filiform, very long, thickened at the point.
Neilgherries, Iyamallay, and elsewhere, flowering
from July to September. Flowers white.
1710. Habenaria plantaginea (Lind.), radical
leaves oblong, or oblong lanceolate, acute or obtuse,
spike lax, secund: bracts membranaceous, acute,
half the length of the ovary: lip three-cleft roundish,
middle lobe linear, acute, the lateral ones broad,
denticulate, about equal: sepals about equal, ascending:
spur filiform, pendulous, longer than the beaked
ovary. Flowers white, spur green.