NEOTTEJE—CRANICHID A. 449 
Labellum amplificatum, venosum, album, venis virescentibus ramificatum, 
limbo undulato." 
CCLVI. ALTENSTEINIA. 
Altensteinia. Humb. Bonpl. et Kunth. Nov. gen. et sp. 1. p. 333. 
Sepala et petala patula aut revoluta ; his minoribus conformibus. Label- 
lum posticum, basi concavum, liberum, membranaceum, in columnam 
incumbens. Columna nana, indivisa, apice antheram sessilem rotunda- 
tam dorsalem gerens; stigmate emarginato; clinandrio immarginato. 
Pollinia 2, granulosa, caudiculis nullis. ———— [Plant terrestres, Americze 
equatorialis, tuberosæ. Caulis foliatus. Flores dense spicati, sessiles. 
Kunth.] 
This genus differs but little from Cranichis. Its principal characteristics 
are two pollen masses, and a pointless anther, which is not seated upon a 
filament constituting one half of the column, but is sessile upon the apex 
of an undivided truly gynandrous centre. 
l. ALTENSTEINIA fimbriata. Humb, Bonpl. et Kunth. l. c. t. 72. 
A. “ spicà elongatà cylindraceá, labello subrotundo-ovato fimbriato, gynos- 
temio apice denticulato.” . 
Hab. in Quito, in umbrosis humidis ad fluvium Guallabamba, alt. 1030 
hex., florens Junio ; Humb. et Bonpl. 
2. AvTENSTEINIA pilifera. H. B. K. l c. t. 73. 
A. ** spicA ovato-oblongà, labello oblongo acuminato, gynostemio apice 
pilifero.” 
Hab. in Quito; in locis muscosis nemorosis inter pagum Cumbe et los 
Baños de Cuenca, alt. 1380 hex. florens Julio; Humb. et Bonpl. 
3. ALTENSTEINIA paleacea. Kunth. Synops. 1. 325. 
A. vaginis caulis bracteisque ramentaceis membranaceis, spicà cylindraceà 
densissimá, sepalis petalisque ovatis obtusis recurvis, labello oblique 
inflexo calceiformi fimbriato. ; 
Ophrys paleacea. H. B. K. nov. gen. et sp. 1. 334. 
Hab. in Quito; in montosis prope pagum Lloa Chiquito ad radicem 
montis ignivomi Pichincha, alt. 1662 hex. florens Martio, Humb. ; 
in Peruvia juxta Obrajillam Mathews, alt. 1170 hex. Crukshanks. (hab. 
s. Sp.) 
A singular plant looking like Spiranthes ramentacea. I have seen no 
leaves. The stems are two feet high, covered with loose membranous 
rugged sheaths, and terminated by very small flowers in a close cylindrical 
head about 3 inches long. The concave or rather slipper-shaped lip is 
very unlike that of the other species of this little known genus. 
September, 1840. N N'N 
