Platk XL 



LEPTOTES SERRULATA. 



L- serrulate ; CflUle Milxlipiiyllo, foliis glaucis muculosis, labelli lobo medio 0M011 



lanceolate acuminate Intcrnlibus rotundatu serrulntis. 

 Epidendre Gcoide, Deseourtih drawing*, plate 2S. p. (>.*{. 



£Ti 



O- 



Thii fine species is evidently diadnguialied from (he mre Lcptotc* bicolor by it* glaucou* 

 leaves, which often grow in pair*, by it?* flower* which are three or four tinier a* lar»e. bv the 

 hibcllum whidi is merely sircaked with rays of purple, and by tlic auricle* at it* base being 

 *c mi luted. 



Tin? following is :i translation uf M. Dcscourtilz's manuscript account of the specie*. 



I 'hi* Humming plain i> especially r 1:1 irk; c I- fn llu swi*cl odour uf the Lilac which its (lower* 

 exhale; It is found in blossom, iti tile month of Oiwrnber, on the trunk of Ccdrcln tree.-*, in the 

 ancient Roea* of Brazil, where, without any sign of suHering, it survives tin* conflagration* that 

 destroy so many other j>l;tuts. I also fount) it in plenty in tin? district of Upper Macahr, ami 

 in that of lllm Grande, where however it is more ran*, 



The stum-* art cylindrical, creeping, covered wiilt a sort uf dry, >nmolh membrane, ofn ifllvcry 

 whttencM, and covering a |>ortioii of the base* of each leaf. The leaves are cylindrical, thick, 

 succulent, fusiform, deeply channelled on the upper side* glaucous green or bluish, dotted with 

 violet-purple, especially underneath. There is a variety with tin* leaves twice a* long, and falcate. 



The &CAP1E8 are cylindrical, both terminal and axillary, bright purple, covered with acute alternate 

 bracts. The ovauius an* very lomr, unhid into a drooping raceme. The PLOW BR- BODS are of a 

 yellowish rose, protuberant in their base- The ilowkk in very large, Mellate : the SEPALS 

 ribbon •shaped, rather broad, and white* as the purest enamel ; the FETAL3 narrower and thinner, 

 but equally while. The lip has. at it* bas-o. two short rounded auricles; otherwise it is strap'shti|>ed 

 at the base with a while centre, whence there radiate numerous lines of the most brilliant lilac, and 

 i* afterward* dilated into an ovate pointed or lanceolate limb of a beautiful white. 



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