188 OPHEYDE^.
9 to 12'5 mm. across, deflexed in bud; floral hracta lanceolate, acuminate; the lower onea
longer and the upper shorter than the curved boaked ovary. Sepals green, pubescent,
their edges minutely ciliolate; the dorsal erect, broadly ovate or sub-orbicular, concave;
the lateral j)air larger, deflexod, obliquely ovate, obtuse. Petals erect, yellow, thick,
obliquely triangular iron; a broad base, their apices curvitig inwards and forming a hood
with the dorsal sepal, turning black when dried. Lip yellow, longer than the lateral
sepals; anterior portion thick and strap-shaped, deflexed abruptly from the end of the
wider channelled claw; spur much longer than the ovary, curving upwards, yellowishgreen,
Anther-celU distant, parallel; polUnia obliquely pyriform, bipartito ; candieles short,
curved, each attached to a small bipartite gland. Staminodes elongate. ¿¡tigmaiic
processes oblong, nearly parallel, situated below the opening to the spur; rostellum
triangular. II latilahris Hook. f. i"l. Br. Ind. vi, 153 (in part). Plaianthera
acuminata Lindl. in Wall. Cat. 7010; Gen. and Sp. Orch. 289.
Throughout the Western Himalaya from Hazára to Kumaon at elevations between
6,000 and 10,000 feet. It is the most abundant terrestrial orchid on the Simla and
ilussoorie ranges, and is very often found in company with Sa't/Hum nepuleme on
open hillsides. It commences to flower during July, but always a liltle later than
11. latilahris.
The upturned position of the spur ia II. Edgeworthii may be explained by tiie faat that the
flowers, when in bud, are deflesed, and the spurs are then directed upwards. The flowers, as they
begin to open, curve up and become sub-erect, but by this time the elongated spurs have not
Buffioient space in the crowded raceme in which to alter their position.
Pl a t e 139. Habenaria Edgeworthii Hook. / . A plant,—of natural siss. Fig. 1, side
view of flower; 2, front view of ditto, with the lateral sepals removed; 3, side view
of flower, the sepals and petals removed; 4, polliaia;—all
20. Habenakia latilabris Hook. f. Fl. Br. lad. vi 153 (in part).
Tulers fusiform. Stem 2 to 4'5 dm., with a few loose sheaths near the base,
of which the upper ones are often sub-foliaceous. Leaves scattered, three to five, 5
to 10 cm. long, elliptic-oblong, acute or acuminate, tapering into the broad sheaths;
bracts below the raceme about 2-5 cm. long, lanceolate, acuminatc. Spike 7-5 to 13
cm., laxly flowered. Flowert 12 to 14 mm. long ffrom the base to the tip of the
dorsal sepal;, the sepals dark green and the petals and lip yellowish-green; jloral
Iract lanceolate, acuminate, those of the lower flowers loioger than the curved beaked
ovary, of the upper flowers shorter. Sepals unequal, their edges ciliolate; dorsal
erect, 4 mm. long, broadly ovate or sub-orbicular, concave; the lateral pair refleied,
5 mm. long, obliquely ovate, obtuse. Petals slightly longer than the lateral sepals,
spreading, lanceolate or linear from a broad triangular base, gibbous on their outer
edges near the base. Lip rather longer than the petals, deflexed from the apex of
the short broad claw, sub-terete or linear-oblong with refiexed edges, tapering slightly
to the apex; sptir about 15 mm. long, slender, curved but not upturned as in II.
Udgeworihti, cylindric or compressed and with the apex often bifid or trifid. Column
short. Anther-cells parallel, distant, each with a rounded rugulose staminode on its
outer side near the base; tubes short, curved forwards; pollinia obliquely pydform,
almost bipartite, tapering into the short stout caudicles; glands small, elliptic. Stigmas
two, oblong, blunt, separated by the entrance into the spur. Hook. f. in Ann. E.
liot. Gard. Gale, v, 66, t. 100; King & Pantling in Ann. R. Bot. Gard. Oal c. viii,
.'j21, t. 423; Krnzl, Orch. Gen. and Sp. i, 442. Plaianthera latilairia Lindl. Gen
and Sp. Orch. 289. P. Orchidis Wall. Cat. 7039B.
Not uncommon on the Western Himalaya from Dalhousie to Kumaon at elevations
between 5,000 and 9,000 feet; specimens have, however, been gathered by Mr. C. W.
Hope as low down as Dehra Dun. It becomes more abundant eastwards, but in no
portion of the area is it as plentiful as U. Edgeworthii, which extends as far wc.st as
Hazara. E. latilahris is more of a shade-loving plant, and is very often found as an
epiphyte on the trunks of trees. Flowers during July and August. It extends eastwards
to Nepal, Sikkim and E. Tibet.
I n tho living state this species can be easily distinguished from S . Edgemrthii by the nearly
uniform greenish tint of its flowers, the spreading petals and by the shorter and much more slender
spur, whioh is usually not curved upwards.
Pl a t e 140. Habenaria latilahris Hook f . A plant,—o/ natural size. Fig. 1, side view
of single flower; 2, front view of ditto, with the lateral sepals removed; 3, side view of
flower with the sepals and petals removed; 4, pollinia ;—all enlarged.
21. Habenaria diksa Wall, in Lindl. Gen. and Sp. 326.
Tulers oblong. Stem stout, 3 to 7-5 dm., with a few loose blunt sheaths at its base,
Leaves many, scattered, 6 to 10 cm. long, ovate or oblong, acuminate, tapering very
little to the long sheath, diminishing in size upwards. Spike 2 to 3'5 dm. long, manyflowered,
rachis stout. Flowers crowded, erect, 7 mm. across, green; floral bract longer
than the short curved slender-beaked ovary, lanceolate, acuminate, the edges ciliolate.
Sepals sub-equal, elliptic-oblong, obtuse, thick, ciliolate, 3-nerved; dorsal erect, concave ;
lateral pair narrower, reflexed. Petals nearly as long as the sepals, obliquely ellipticoblong,
obtuse, fleshy. Lip equalling the sepals, linear, obtuse, with a transverse callus
at its base close to the column; spur half as long as the ovary, clavate, pendulous,
compressed laterally. Column short, broad. Anther-cells distant, parallel, without tubes;
pollinia broadly elliptic, caudicleis short; glands discoid, guarding the entrance to the spur.
Staminodes large, each consisting of two united elongate processes, the upper pair mgulose
and parallel to the sides of the anther-cells; lower pair smooth, their apices converging
inwards below the stigmas and almost meeting over the base of the Hp. Stigmas two,
small, sub-orbicular, placed between the polliiiiar glands and the staminodes. Hook,
f. r i . Br. Ind. vi, 153; King & Pantling in Ann. R. Bot. Gard. Calc. viii, 319. t.
420; Krnzl. in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. xvi, 216; Orch. Gen. and Sp. i 443; Collett Fl.
Siml. 504. Plaianthera dcnsa Lindl. in Wall. Cat. 7046. P. clavigera Lindl. Gen. and
Sp. Orch. 289.
Not uncommon on the Western flimakya at elevations between 7,000 and 10,000
. f e e t ; Dalliousie, Dr. Clark; Simla, Lady Dalhousie, Edgev/orth, Gamble (No. 1390) etc.;
Gurhwal, Falconer, Edgcivorih, Roijle, Mackinnon, Duthie Nos. 525, 24175, 22410, 22988;
Kumaon at Kalinamdi ^,500, Sirachey & Wintei-bottom; F. Kumaon, BUnkivorth, Duthie
No. 3411, Luthic's collector Nos. 24066, 24067, 24070. Flowers during July and August.
It extends eastwards to Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.