Descr. Stem four or five inches high, covered for nearly 
its whole length with a pale brown, striated sheath, and ter- 
minated by a solitary leaf, six to eight inches long, oblong, 
coriaceous, obtuse. From the base of this leaf and within 
a two-leaved, membranaceous, ovato-acuminate spatha, 
arises the raceme, or rather spike, of several curious-looking 
flowers. The ground colour of the flowers is purplish 
cream colour. The sepals nearly equal, narrow-ovate, the 
lower one reflexed, with three dark purple streaks, extend- 
ing the whole length of the outside (where it is hairy below), 
within having three short streaks at the base. Upper sepals 
united to above the middle, erecto-patent, externally dark 
purple, within spotted with purple tufts of velvety hairs. 
Petals small, erect, a little longer than the column, ovate, 
each marked with two streaks. Lip longer than the petals, 
ovate, obtuse, narrow at the base, with a deep furrow, 
densely marked with small, confluent spots. Column cream- 
coloured, with purple streaks, winged above. Clinan- 
drium toothed. Anther-case deep red, velvety. Column 
downy. 
Fig. 1. Flower, front view. 2. Back view of ditto. 3. Flower with the 
Sepals removed. 4. Column and Lip. 5, Anther-case. 6. Pollen-masses: 
—magnified. 
