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SEXUAL POKMS OF CATASETUM. 209 



That Darwin relied very largely on the statements of Schom- 

 burgk and other authors is evident ; and this leads us to examine 

 their writings in detail. 



In the ' Botanical Eegister ' for 1836 (t. 1752) a so-called Mona- 

 chanthus viridis had been figured by Lindley, from a garden 

 specimen ; and with this Schomburgk rightly identified a form 

 he had actually seen produced by a plant of Catasetum triden- 

 I tatum*. But he also wrongly identified with the same a similar 



form, produced by a plant of My an thus barbatus*. Thus, both 

 being thought to be Monachanthus viridis, and having been 

 produced by plants hitherto considered distinct, all the forms 



were thought to belong to one and the same species. 



We must now turn to the origin of Monachanthus viridis. In 

 the • Botanical Eegister' for 1832, in a note under t. 1538, 



Lindley speaks of two new genera in the collection of Sir 

 William Hooker ; which he then describes. One of these is 

 Monachanthus, which is said to differ from Catasetum in having 

 the column altogether without cirrhi. The single species, Mona- 

 chanthus viridis,he describes as growing on trees in the Corcovado, 

 near Eio de Janeiro. This very specimen is preserved at Kew. 

 It consists of a water-colour drawing of the entire plant, together 

 with a single dried flower. Who sent it, I have failed to dis- 

 cover; but it is labelled, "From the Corcovado, near Eio de 

 Janeiro ; grows on trees. The bulbs and leaves are similar to 

 those of a different flower." It is labelled by Lindley himself, 



"Monachanthus viridis, Bot. Reg. 1538." 



The statement that the bulb and leaves are similar to those of 

 a different flower, leads us to examine the other genus described 

 by Lindley ; for to it the note applies. The genus in question 

 is Myanthus, which is said to be closely allied to Catatetum, 

 with the cirrhi situated at the base of the column. The single 



but 



My a 



been found or trees in the 



neighbourhood of Eio de Janeiro. Lindley then adds :— " Perhaps 

 Catasetum cristatum would be better referred to this genus. 

 This specimen is also preserved at Kew. It consists of a com- 

 plete water-colour drawing, with a dried raceme in addition ; four 

 flowers out of about fourteen alone remaining. It is labelled, 

 " From the neighbourhood of Eio de Janeiro ; grows on trees." 

 Liudley's ticket says, "Myanthus cernuus, B. Eeg. 1538." The 



* See footnote on preceding page. 









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