

Plate XXXIII, 



CYCNOCHES MACULATUM, 



C. mactdalum ; raccmo longtesimo inultifloro, labcllo lincari-lunccolato, hypochilio 

 linearis mctachilin npicc cornulo glandulisqite tcrclibus elongatis genulloxis 

 titriiupw pitin:iiiiicH> maiginato, epichilio lanccolato membnuiftcco acutomar- 

 giuc incurve. Botanical Register for 1840, miscellaneous matter, no. 8. 

 Botanist /. 15G. 



Ilitd such a plant as this flowered near London twenty years ago, it would liavc afforded subject 

 of convocation among Botanists and the lover? of Botany for a fortnight, which is a long lime for 

 any thing to retain its interest in London ; hut now. so familiar have become the faces of the strange 

 epiphyte* of the tropic*, it only excites a pawing ghmce of admiration, except among tAc foe. 



Surely it is one of the most carious productions of nature in her wildest mood. Did any one 

 ever see such a flower before ? Which i* the top, winch is the bottom ? What arc we to call that long 

 clubfoot? which is cloven loo; and what the crooked finger* daggled with blood, which spread from 

 the middle of one of the leaves, a* if about to clutch at something 1 And what moreover am they all 

 lie/or? Such knotty point* a$ these wc commend most heartily to some of our German friend* for 

 their solution; while we sink twtck into the accustomed prose which so much better Suits tho 

 enquiries of science. 



Cycnoche* mnculatum then is a Mexican plant, imported by Mr. Barker of Birmingham, with 

 whom it (lowered in November, 183!). It has long slender grew, from the side* of which spring forth 

 as many as four long graceful nodding racemes, each having about thirty flower*, In their appear- 

 ance and that of the m&ave* there is little to distinguish the plant from a Cntnsetum, or other specie** 

 of its own genus. TJio racemes arc nearly a foot and half long, clothed at the base with numerous 

 thin Italy scales, and hanging downwards from the sides of thr stems. The stalk* of the flowers are 

 at right angles with the axis, more or less curved, and shorter <han the sepals. Each flowru when 

 fully expanded measures nearly three inches from tip to tip of the divisions ; they have a dull yellowish 

 brown ground-colour on which are distributed numerous rich brown blotches in a confuted manner. 

 Tho BfiPAiA&nd PETAU>arc alike in form, size and colour, lanceolate, wavy, and spreading in a Marry 

 but ruthor onesided manner. The LABRLLUU U exactly continuous with (he foot of the column, upon 

 which it seems ns if inserted ; its general form is linear-lanceolate ; in the middle it is white, ami 

 divided m the edge on each side into about five round fleshy crooked lingers spotted with purple; 

 between the front pur of which is placed a straight fleshy horn directed backwards, and greener than 

 any of the fingers; the upper end is thin, lanceolate, acuminate, white, with three purple spots, of 

 which one is near the point, and the two others lower down and nearly equidistant from themselves 

 and the margin. The COLUMN is very long, quite taper at the base, enlarged into a thick knob at the 

 apex, purple, spotted with a lighter shade of the same ; at the back of the anther it is extended into 

 a two-Iobed horn, below which the anther is insetted upon a slender filament, lite caudieuln is very 

 long, and rests upon a large round fleshy gland. 



This species has also been found in U Gnavra. by one of the collectors employed by Mews 

 Lowe and Co* of Clapton. 



