34 



W 



48. PLEUROTHALLIS ophiocepliala. 



P. opJiiocephala ; folio oblongo emarginato concavo camoso caule breviore, flore 

 solitario e spatha duplici membranacea carinata erutnpente, sepalis oblongis 



obtusis hiantibus intus papillosLs extiis pubescentibus inferiore latiore emar- 



^ginato, petalis Iineari-oblongis intus villosis labello duplo minore lineari- 

 ovato obtuso carnoso glabro canaliculato marginibus elevatis truncatis. 



* 



A most curious Mexican species, for which I have to 

 thank Messrs. Loddiges and Mr. Barker of Birmingham. 

 It has no heauty, but is remarkable for having one solitary 

 flower protruding from the base of the leaf, and so similar 

 to the head of a snake with the jaws open, that it is difficult 

 at first sight to believe it really a flower that one looks 

 upon. To add to the deception, the small labellum is shaped 

 like a tongue, and moves up and down when you peep into 

 the mouth of the flower. The stem of the leaf is strong, terete, 

 six inches lono:, with one long- striated brown sheath in the 

 middle ; the leaf is remarkably thick and fleshy, and above 

 four inches long ; the flower is dull yellowish brown, spotted 

 with dull purple, and nearly three-quarters of an inch long. 



49. EPIDENDRUM longlcolle. 



E. longicolle ; caule erecto compresso folioso, foliis linearibus apice angustatis, 

 floribus aggregatis terminalibus nutantibus foliis brevioribus, sepalis lineari- 

 lanceolatis acumlnatis patentibus, petalis linearibus acutis supra columnam 

 convergentibus, labelli trilobi lobis lateralibus semiovatis acutis integerrimis 

 intermedio lineari-acuminato paulo brevioribus : lamellis 2 callosis ad basin, 

 collo ovarii elongato. 



A species nearly allied to JE. nocturnum, but much less 

 handsome. The sepals and petals are pale yellow ; the lip 

 white, with two yellow plates at the base. It was obtained 

 by Messrs. Loddiges from Demerara. 



1 V 



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50. SARCOCHILUS parvifl6rus. 



%. parviflorns ; ioX\\% oblongis undulatis chartaceis apice acute et oblique biden- 

 tatis, racemis nutantibus quadrifloris, sepalis lineari-obovatis acutis lateralibus 

 basi dilatatis, petalis falcatis obtusis, labelli cum column^ articulati lobo 

 medio minimo transverso rotundato: disco callis variis crassis rotundatls 

 tuberculato. 



A small flowered epiphyte introduced from New Holland 

 by Messrs. Loddiges. It has no claim to beauty, but is in- 



