ORcnrDs of ma.daga.scab. 457 



Thus, broadly speaking, we may say that the Epidendrea? are 

 typically Asiatic, while the remainder are more of an African 

 character. 



As might be expected, a large proportion of the species are 

 endemic; and but few have a distribution further than the archi- 

 pelago or neighbouring coasts of Africa. The most widely spread 

 species are Cirrhopetalum TJiouarsii, perhaps the most widely 

 distributed of all epiphytic Orchids, extending its range as far east 

 as the Society Islands, and Corymbis corymbosa, which is found 

 also in West Africa. 



Oberonta. 



O. bbevifolta, Lindley, Gen. et Sp. Orch. PL p. 16 ; Folia 

 Orchid, no. 36; Ad. Bronyniart, Voy. 'Coquille^ t. 40 B; 

 S. Moore, in Fl. Maur. Sf Seych. p. 341. — Cymbidium equitans, 

 Thouars, Orch. lies Afriq. t. 92. — PleurothalHs disticha, A. 

 Bichard, Orch. Maur. t. 8. fig. 1 ; Bojer, Sort. Maur. p. 319.— 

 Malaxis brevifolia, Beichenbach fil., Otia Hamburg, ii. p. 73. 



Madagascar, Imerina, Deans Cowan ! Mauritius, Wallich ! 

 Sir James Macyregor ! in Herb. Brit. Mas. Rodriguez, Balfour, 

 Transit-of- Venus Expedition, no. 1223 ! ; Herb. Brit. 3lus. Bour- 

 bon. Comoro Islands, Johanna, at 1000-1400 metres, Hilde- 

 brandt no. 1709. 



This little plant appears to be widely distributed over the 

 East-African islands. I have not seen it, however, from the main 

 land. It is the most western species of the genus, which has its 

 headquarters in Tropical Asia, especially India, and has outlying 

 species also in Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia. 



The stem varies from less than 1 inch in height to 3 inches, 

 and is covered with equitant leaves, often as much as 1| 

 inch long. The raceme is sometimes short and erect ; at others 

 long, slender, and nodding, attaining a length of 4 inches. The 

 bracts are as long as the ovary in the flower ,- but in fruit the 

 pedicel as well as the ovary lengthens, so that the bract is then 

 only as long as the pedicel. The flowers are very minute, yellowish 

 green. 



Lipabis. 



The genus Liparis has a distribution only surpassed among 

 Orchids by Habenaria. The headquarters of the genus is to be 

 found in Tropical Asia. None of the Madagascar species are 



2l2 



