flowered in the stove of the Regent's Park Botanic Gardens, 

 whence a beautiful drawing was sent to us by Mr. J. D. 

 Sowerby, in November, 1843, shortly after which it 

 flowered at Kew. It is remarkable in the curious structure 

 of the flowers, and in these numerous flowers all meeting 

 together nearly at the same level, so as to form a slightly 

 concave, even surface, with the blossoms very compactly 

 arranged, but especially in the centre, while yet in the bud. 

 Mr. Morren observes on the inflorescence of the same, or a 

 nearly allied species, "Ce qui rend cette espece si interres- 

 sante, c'est sans aucun doute son inflorescence en epideprime 

 et ombilique, Si les pedoncules dans set etat de rapproche- 

 ment se soudaient on obtiendrait evidemment le phoranthe 

 du Dorstenia, dont l'organagenesie morpbologique a ete 

 ramenee depuis long-temps a la sertule on a l'ombelle 

 simple. La Malaxis Parthoni prouve qu'on arriverait 

 au phoranthe du Dorstenia et de la Figue tout aussi bien 

 par l'epi." — Our species seems to differ from that of Mr. 

 Morren by the form of the lip, and equally so from the 

 Microst. excavata of Dr. Lindley, mentioned in the Bot. 

 Reg. 1838, App. n. 93. 



Descr. From a broad, ovate or rounded tuber arise two 

 leaves, ovate and membranaceous, with their sheathing bases 

 forming a long tube around the base of the much angled 

 scape. Flowers brownish-green, arranged in a very 

 compact, concave umbel, gradually opening from the 

 circumference to the centre. Sepals reflexed, all oblong, 

 the two front ones co-adnate, especially at the base. Petals 

 very minute, linear, revolute. Lip large, almost orbicular, 

 with the sides bent back, obtuse. Column very short, with 

 obtuse horns. 



Fig. 1, 2. Front and side view of a Flower. 3. Side view, with the Lip 

 removed. 4. Anther-case with Pollen-masses. 5. Pollen-mass.— mag- 

 nified. 



