ER CXXXIII. ORCHIDEÆ (ROLFE). [Megaclinium. 
long, 1 in. broad; margin crenulate. Bracts 2 lin. apart, ovate, acute, 
deflexed and with recurved margins, about 1 in. long. 
Mozamb. Dist. British Central Africa, cultivated specimen! 
Described from a plant imported by Mr. J. O’Brien. 
A most distinct and remarkable species, whose affinity remains doubtful until 
flowers are known. 
7. ANCISTROCHILUS, Rolfe. 
Sepals subequal, spreading, the lateral ones partially united at the 
base to the very short foot of the column. Petals smaller than the 
sepals and narrower at the base, otherwise similar, Lip attached tothe 
short foot of the column, subsaccate at the base, strongly 3-lobed ; side 
lobes erect at the sides of the column, oblong, obtuse; front lobe 
narrowly triangular at the base, long attenuate above, recurved, twice as 
long as the side lobes ; disc with slightly raised lines, the middle one 
more prominent at the base of the front lobe. Column clavate, rather 
long, slightly curved ; wings short and rounded; base extended into a 
short horizontal foot. Anther operculate, 4-celled; pollinia 8, ovoid, 
united to a single appendage as long as themselves; anther-case 
apiculate.—An erect herb, with depressed orbicular pseudobulbs, lanceo- 
late, acute, plicate leaves, and erect 2- to 3-flowered scapes a little shorter 
than the leaves. 
A curious little monotype, originally referred to the Asiatic genus Pachystoma by 
Reichenbach, with which, as pointed out in the Botanical Magazine, it neither accords 
in floral character nor in the structure of the pollinia. It belongs to the same group, 
but is readily distinguished by the pollinia being united to a single stipitate appendage, 
as well as by the remarkable lip and spreading segments. The supposed “ gland” 
figured in the Botanical Magazine is only a viscid secretion, and not analogous to the 
gland of the tribe Vandee. 
1. A. thomsonianus, Rolfe. Pseudobulbs seated on a creeping 
rhizome, orbicular, depressed, nearly 1 in. thick, covered with mem- 
branous scales. Leaves 1 or 2, lanceolate, acute, plicate, membranous, 
6-8 in. long. Peduncles 1 or 2 from the base of each pseudobulb, 
ascending, slender, pubescent, 4—6 in. high, 2- to 3-flowered. Bracts 
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, sheathing, 5-7 lin. long. Pedicels 7-8 lin. 
long, pubescent. Flowers large, white witha purplelip. Sepals oblong- 
lanceolate, acuminate, 14-14 in. long. Petals a little shorter than the 
sepals and narrower at the base. Lip deeply 3-lobed ; side lobes oblong, 
obtuse, 4—5 lin. long; front lobe attenuate-linear from a narrow base, 
9-12 lin. long. Column 7-8 lin. long.—Pachystoma thomsonianum, 
Reichb. f. in Gard. Chron, 1879, xii. 582, 624, 625, fig. 102, 103; 1882, 
xviii., 501, fig. 87; Reichb. f. Xen. Orch. iii. 35, t. 213; Bot. Mag. 
t. 6471; Orchidophile, 1882, 427; Gartenfl. xxx. 324, t. 1061; Will. 
Orch, Alb. v. t. 220; Veitch, Man. Orch. vi. 4, with fig. Ipsea 
thomsoniana, Pfitz. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenf. ii. Abth. 6, 154, 
fig. 158. 
Upper Guinea. Mountains of Old Calabar, on trees, at a moderate elevation, 
not far from the coast, Kalbreyer, cultivated specimens ! 
