sported; there are also, at least, twenty plants of Monachan- 
thus discolor, which keep true. Mr. Hillhonse (a gentleman 
residing in Demerara), has informed the Duke of Devonshire 
that a flower spike of Catasetum often has on it several dis- 
tinct kinds of flowers.” 
To make the reader more distinctly aware of the changes 
that the flowers of this specimen exhibit, I will describe one 
of those of the species in its ordinary state. 
It has narrow, ovate, lanceolate, green sepals, of which 
the two lateral ones are placed obliquely on each side of the 
lip; the petals are narrow, spotted with red, and placed 
almost in front of the upper sepal; the lip is a narrow, 
flattish, fleshy body, having a sac or conical depression 
(fig. 4. c.) in its middle, a large, curved, white, fleshy horn 
(fig. 4. b.) projecting forwards from its base, and a row of 
stiff, short, fleshy teeth standing up all round the edge. The 
column has a long horn rising up from its back, and forming 
a narrow bed for the anther, while two other horns or cirrhi 
(fig. 4. a.) hanging downwards over the lip. 
In other flowers, which may be said to exhibit the ex- 
treme of difference, the sepals and petals are all equally spot- 
less, of the same short, ovate, obtuse figure, and spread 
equally round the column; the lip is a fleshy hood-like, or 
helmet-like, greenish yellow body, a little turned back at 
the point, entirely without sac, horn, or marginal teeth, and 
standing erect so as to overshadow the column. The column 
itself has an exceedingly short horn at the back, and no 
cirrhi in front. I think I may safely say, that until these 
two sorts of flowers had been seen on the raceme, no 
(Edipus could have guessed them to belong to either the 
same species, or even genus. 
The way in which they pass into each other is rege 
curious, as far as regards the lip. All the fringe-like teet 
of this organ disappear, except a few at the base on one side 
(fig 3. a.), the curved horn shortens (fig. 3. b.), and the 
remainder contracts about the sac, which widens and deepens 
till the commencement of a helmet is shadowed out. In 
another case all the fringes disappear except a few minute 
