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Maer-June/41/ ═

Orchis maculata (?) In same field of great similarity growing close by side of each other these flowers varied from white (with chains of dots representing the broken lines) to purple, and pollen from fine green in the purple flower to bright yellow— this occurred in white flower with dark purple dot.— proportional size of every part of corolla width, degree of notches, expansion of hood also varies in every flower— By taking extreme forms & making them constant we could make fresh species in this case.— The O. conopsea only differs in such characters Sir J.E. Smith does not even consider them local varieties; but takes them as specific characters.— He makes this L. dioica. not variable — I suppose because they affect two different situations — for the flesh-coloured variety is intermediate.— N.B. I found a white Melampyrum pratense growing on same bank with yellow one.— (I found specimen of Orchis maculata 18 inches high. leaves with dark spots almost confluent.— spikes of flowers very large, green bracteæ

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considerably larger than flower — lower lip forming three great teeth, wings very long & horizontally extended. (I have dried few flowers & one leaf.—)

In Pastures field variation in size & colour of leaves of Orchis seems to depend on moisture.— In wood found some with almost unspotted & much narrower leaves —

The Bracteæ in some are purple & in others green but much shorter than in gigantic specimens— in dry pastures some specimens well above 3 inches high — comparatively few flowers on spike: size of flower = varies much, & whatever breadth & depth of lip-petal.