Tas. 5202, 
CATASETUM arratum. 
Dark-flowered Catasetum. 
Nat. Ord. OncH1ipE®.—GYNANDRIA MoNANDRIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tas. 4792.) 
CatTasEetum atratum ; racemo decurvo, sepalis petalisque patentibus ovatis acu- 
tis, labello carnoso cucullato margine tenui-pectinato apice rotundato reflexo 
crasso denticulato. Lindl. 
CaTasetum atratum. Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1838; Misc. n. 114; and same volume, 
t. 63. 
A singular species, imported by Messrs. Loddiges from Brazil 
more than twenty years ago, and of which Dr. Lindley candidly 
says: “Had this been known when the now-abolished genus 
Myanthus was proposed, that error would not have been com- 
mitted, for the species is neither exactly a J/yanthus nor exactly 
a Catasetum.” It flowered in the Royal Gardens of Kew in 
May, 1860. 
Descr. Fully-formed pseudobulbs of this Catasetum are about 
five inches long, oblong, jointed, partially sheathed with white 
striated membranaceous scales. Leaves terminal, three, broad- 
lanceolate, tapering downwards, submembranaceous, striated, 
dark-green above, paler below, and there having three prominent 
ribs. Scape from the bottom of a young pseudobulb, bracteated, 
pendent, as is the raceme of large numerous flowers, of which 
the ground-colour is a lurid green. Sepals and petals equal, 
spreading, ovate, acute, concave, blotched with copious, trans- 
verse, oblong, purple-brown spots, which are sometimes con- 
fluent ; externally these spots are faint and obscure. Lzp about 
as long as the sepals and petals, fleshy, ovate, cucullate, but the 
deep cavity is confined to the centre of the lip; the margin is 
not only open, but spreading, and somewhat reflexed, beautifully 
fringed with brown bristles, and marked with a few brown spots ; 
the apex is pale yellow-green, spotless, and much reflexed. Co- 
Juma semiterete, acuminate, pale yellow-green. 
Fig. 1. Column and lip,—slightly magnified. 
SEPTEMBER Ist, 1860. 
