OBCHIDS OF MADAGASCAR. 473 



vol. iv. t. 47 ; Bateman, Second Century of Orchidaceous Plants, 

 t. 176 ; Flore des Serves, xiv. t. 1488. 



Was introduced to this country by the Rev. W. Ellis and first 

 flowered on Aug. 23, 1859, from plants obtained some years 

 before. Since this time it has frequently flowered in this country ; 

 but I have not seen a wild specimen in either of the herbaria of 

 the British Museum or Kew. 



Polvstaciiva. 

 This genus is widely distributed throughout the tropics of both 

 worlds, and is well represented in Madagascar. Most of the 

 species here mentioned are endemic, only one occurring also in 

 the other islands. Besides these there are figures of one or two 

 among Deans Cowan's drawings which are probably undescribed, 

 but without sufficient material for description. 



P. cultkata, Lindley, Bot. Beg. sub t. 851 ; Gen. and Spec. 

 Orch. PI. p. 73 ; Reichenbach fil, in Bonplandia, 185G, p. 324 ; 

 S. Moore in Flora Maur. Sf Seych. p. 3G1. — Dendrobium cultri- 

 forme, Thouars, Orch. lies Afr. t. 87 ; A. Rich. Orch. Maur. 

 t. 8. f. 3. 



Madagascar : Imerina, Ikangosoa, Ankafana, Beans Cowan ! 

 .Ankaratra montes, apud truncos sylva? priina?vae, Jan. 1881, Hil- 

 debrandt no. 28G3 ! in Herb. Brit. Mus. ; Barker in Herb. Kew ! 

 Mauritius, Capt. Carmichaell Herb. Brit. Mus., Boutonl Ayresl 

 in Herb. Kew. Bourbon, Balfour I in Herb. Kew. 



The broad solitary leaf, 5 inches in length by 1 in diameter, and 

 larger white flowers in a glabrous panicle, distinguish this plant 

 from the rest of the Madagascar species. The scape is from 6-8 

 inches long, and has a solitary long shcathing-leaf 1-1^ inch in 

 length at the base. 



The variety nana, S. Moore, a smaller plant with usually a 

 racemose inflorescence, occurs also in Madagascar. 



P. A2S"CEPS, n. sp. ; caulibus approximates, basi turgidis vix 

 pseudobulbosis, basibus foliorum vetustorum tectis ; foliis sa?pius 

 duobus, lanceolatis obtusis bilobis ; scapo erecto glabro, vagina 

 longissima ancipiti saepius ad basin paniculse tecto ; bracteis 

 parvis triangularibus ; floribus parvis, quam P. zeylanica ma- 

 joribus ; pedicellis longiusculis ; sepalo postico laneeoJato acuto, 

 sepalis latcralibus lanceolato-triangularibus acutis ; pctalis linea- 

 ribus lanceolatis acutis, sepalo postico suba?quantibus; labello 



2m 2 



