82 
phoracez will prove most nearly related to Napoleona, the 
affinity of the genus to some Myrtacez, is not to be overlooked ; 
as, for example, to Verticordias, in which there is the same 
tendency to a multiplication of the series of the corolla, to 
Careyas, whose fruit has a very similar structure, and to 
Barringtonias to which Napoleona is very similar in foliage ; 
but these affinities are less striking than that of the Mangrove 
tribe. They shew, however, pretty clearly that Belvisiacee, 
for so it is most convenient to call the order of which Napo- 
leona is the most conspicuous member, belongs to the great 
Myrtal alliance. 
82. The Section of EPIDENDRUM named 
SPATHIUM. 
This is one of the divisions of Epidendrum proposed in 
Hooker's Journal of Botany, vol. 3. p. 81, and is distinguished 
by its stem being slender leafy and erect, its flowers placed 
on a long peduncle, which proceeds from a spathe consisting 
of one or more equitant bracts, and by its labellum being 
wholly attached to the corolla. It differs from $ AuLtzeum 
in its stem being covered with leaves and not pseudobulbous, 
with two or three leaves at the end only. It is also very 
near $ AuPHIGLOTTIUM, from which it is distinguished by the 
branches not being excessively lengthened and covered with 
close pressed scales below the flowers. In their stead there 
is usually a long sheathing spathe, like that of Cattleya, out 
of which the inflorescence proceeds: occasionally there are 
several of such spathes. E. (Amphiglottium) cornutum is 
one of the connecting links between the two sections. 
S SPATHIUM. 
SPATHIUM, Lindl. in Hooker s Journal of Botany, 8.81. (1841). 
* Lip undivided, 
l. E. grandiflorum (Lindl. in Hook. Journ. 8. 86) ; foliis 
distichis ensiformibus obtusis, racemo denso terminali 
basi flexuoso e spathà duplici orto, sepalo dorsali ovali 
lateralibus duplo latioribus dimidiatis, petalis linearibus, 
labello subrotundo cordato emarginato margine postico 
crispo venis baseos 2 elevatis. Peru. A plant with 
the inflorescence of E. variegatum. Flowers coriaceous, 
