Plate XXXI. 



CATASETUM LOXGIFOLIUM. 



CJongifolium ; lbliis longissimis graminafe, rncemo oylindracoo pondulo multifloro, 

 scpalisovatUsubrotandis potatorum conformium dorso upplieiti?, labollo nrcco- 

 lari 11 (ergo inciirvo: limbo truncate apiculato intils ccrcacoo glabra margino 

 fimbriate. BoUmkal Register for 183!), miscellaneous mailer no. 154. 





The genua Catasctum, including the suppressed and spurious genera Monachanlhus and 

 Mynnthus, bat exclusive of Mormodes whose obliquely twisted column separates ir from these, proves 

 lo be one of which (he species are numerous in tropical America, and in the adjacent countries; 

 almost every large importation producing some novelty belonging CO the nice. None however of 

 those yel discovered can be compared for beauty with (he species now figured, of which a short 

 account lias already been published in lite Holatiicul Register. 



It vras imported from Dcincrara by Mr. Valentine Morris, of the Retreat, liattersea, to whom it 

 bad been sent by his friend .Mr. Henry Glostcr. Attorney-General of the Colony, a great admirer and 

 cultivator of Orchidaceous plants. It has also been received by several other persons, but no one 

 except Mr. Morris hits succeeded in causing it to produce its beautiful flowers. It blossomed at the 

 Rein at in October and November, 1839. 



In its general habit it resembles the other species of Its genus, but its leaves are a foot and half 

 or mom in length, not more than three-quarters of an inch broad, three-ribbed, and so weak and 

 grassy, that they are unable to support themselves, and hang clown if the plant is made to grow 

 upright ; ii will be presently seen, from Mr. Schombiirgk's observations, that when growing naturally 

 the pseudo-bnlbfl cling to the limbs of Palms, whence the leave* liOng down gracefully. The IUCEMBS 

 are about u foot long, arising from the base of the pseudo-bulbs, whence they curve downwards and 

 become pendulous : they arc so closely covered by from twenty to thirty flowers, which nearly touch 

 each Other, that they have something of a cylindrical apj>caranec. Each I lower is Seated upon a 

 Malic, which, taken together with the Ovary, is an inch and half long, with a small ovate herbaceous 

 bract at its base. The sepal* and petals are both shaped and coloured alike; they are of a roundish 

 form, tapering to the point, where they are stained with purple, otherwise they arc green ; the sepuN 

 are t« isted in such a manner as to be placed exactly at the back of the petals, and the whole together 

 an* placed above the horizontal line of the flower. The i.adei.m;m is very fleshy, somewhat cup-shaped, 

 or rather bag-shaped, aud Curved backwards at its end, firm, fleshy, about an inch in diameter at the 

 brim, of n deep rich Orange running into crimson at the edge, a little rugged on the outside, very 

 smooth and waxy in the inside; in front it is abruptly terminated by a rich deep crimson warted 

 bonier, at the sides the edge thins away into a greenish violet frioge. The column is very short 

 Slightly extended in front into two short horns, but quite destitute ofeirrhi; at the hack it terminates 

 in a rounded manner at the line of origin of the anther. 



Mr, Sehumhurgk inform* me that ibis plant was first discovered by him in I83G, ami sent that 

 year to Messrs. 1-oddiges. "We found it growing OD the Ela-Palm (Mauritia tlcvuosa) where the 

 spadix generally developcs itself; and in consequence of the height, ami the little resemblance which 

 ii^ lung leaves benr to the general appearance of Orchidaceous plains, it bad been no doubt overlooked. 

 "The position in which it \* represented in the plate is unnatural. The rapid decomposition of 

 tellable matter under the tropics mwistlt in collecting a little mould between the scars wliieh have 

 t>ccn left where the fronds (ell off. The place of lichens, the decomposition of which was the origin 





