Tab. 5485. 

 EPISTEPHIUM Williamsii, 



Mr. Williams s Epistephium. 



Nat. Ord. Orchide^e. — Gynandria Monandria. 



Gen. Char. Perianthium basi urceolo dentato cinctum. Sepala patentia v. 

 reflexa, libera, lateralia labello supposita. Petala latiora v. angustiora. Label- 

 lum sessile, liberum, indivisum, circa columnam convolutum, disco barbatam v. 

 cristatum. Columna semiteres, marginata, infra stigma 2-tuberculata, apice 

 membranacea, dilatata, 3-fida, lobo medio cucullato antherifero. Anthera ter- 

 minalis, persistens, loculis approximatis ^-quadrilocularibus. Pollinia 4, com- 

 pressa, basi retroplicata. — Herbse America aquinoctialis, terrestres. Folia ner- 

 vosa, evaginata, Flores magni, compicni. Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orchid. 432. 



Epistephium Williamsii; foliis lineari-oblongis acutis ^-amplexicaulibus, mar- 

 ginibus recurvis valde coriaceis Iambus nitidis, nervis parallelis non reticu- 

 lars, sepalis lineari-oblongis acutis, petalis oblongis sepalis latioribus, la- 

 belli lobo terminali suborbiculato 2-fido marginibus crenulatis, disco medio 

 longe cristate 



Epistephium Williamsii. Hook, ji l. ms. 



A very curious and most beautiful plant, for the introduction 

 of which we are indebted to our valued correspondent C. H. 

 Williams, Esq., of Bahia. It undoubtedly belongs to the genus 

 Epistephium , which inhabits the tropics of South America, and 

 is distinguished from its very near congener Sobralia, by the 

 toothed calyculus crowning the ovary. The genus is described 

 as having strongly reticulated nerves on the leaf, but this is per- 

 haps best seen in the dried plant ; the leaves of our species are 

 very coriaceous, glossy, and almost nerveless; nothing can ex- 

 ceed their brilliant, glossy green surface. 



Descr. Stems from an underground root of tufted, fleshy 

 fibres, several together, stiff, a foot to eighteen inches high, 

 cylindrical. Leaves alternate on the upper part of the stem, 

 three to four inches long, linear-oblong, semi-amplexicaul, acute, 

 very glossy-green, nerves very indistinct, not reticulated. Flowers 

 five to eight, in a terminal spike, three inches in diameter, of a 

 fine light red-purple colour. Bracts small, ovate, acute. Ovary 

 dkcember 1st, 1864. 



