Platk XVII. 



SACCOLABTUM AMPULLACEUM 



S. mttputlaecitm i onule brOYUttiino, folits crnssissimis distichis ligttlntis rannliculntis 

 apice truncatis dcntatis, rncemis oblongi* ereetis fuliis tuttlto brevioribus, scpalis 

 petalisque ovatu patcntibus gubiequalibusj lubdlo ungusto actinium to concavo 

 calcare coni|>rcsso pcndnlo «ln]>l<V breviore. 



S. ampullaccunii fjindl. in //'«//. Cat. no, 7307* 



Aerides ampnllaceunij R*ixb. Ft. /W. 8. 476. 



A native of tree* in the forests of Sylliet, where ii was long since discovered by Dr. Koxburgh * 

 correspondents. It was subsequently met with liy Dr. Wiillich, near llemphedy. flowering in tin* 

 month of .May, 



It is described as having a short and generally simple stem, which, from the lower part throws 

 out strong itahy COrd-likc roots, by which the plant is bound to the tree it grows upon. The 

 leave* are distichous, regularly spreading, remarkably thick, spotted with purple on both side*. 

 Ugulate, about five inches long, wilh the edges nearly parallel, connate beneath, channelled 

 Above, truncated and toothed at the apex. The flow ens are of a deep rose colour, and grow in 

 erect, oblong, sessile, axillary* hacemes, which are very much shorter than the leaves. The 

 1XOWBK-&TALKS and QVARY together are about an inch long. The sepals and petals spread Jlni. 

 and are ovale, beautifully veined, and nearly equal. The lip i* linear, falcate, twice a* short an tliC 

 sepals channelled, acute, rather curved upwards at the point, with a compressed, straight, Blender 

 spur, alioiit a* long as the dower-stalk : at the base of the lip are two teeth pressed close to the base 

 of the column, and parallel with it. Column short, with a small hollowed stigma in front. 

 AxTttBR ptirplUh, 2-celled. ovate, obtuse, with a tooth transversely Curved downward* beneath the 

 pollen-masses on each side. Pollex-masses two, globose, furrowed, with a long slender 

 caudieuta. 



The foregoing description is entirely taken from Dr. Wallicli's MSS. no specimen of the plant 

 having reached me. The figure is a copy from a drawing belonging lo the Honourable Court of 

 Directors of the East India Company* I formerly supposed it to be the same as Saccolabhim 

 rubrum, to which 1 have elsewhere quoted it as a probable synonyme. I am however now satisfied 

 that it is a perfectly distinct specie*, distinguished by its short erect racemes, by the form of the 

 lip, and by the leaves being regularly distichous, not all curved to one side* 



