Tas. 6159. 
MASDEVALLIA Pzristeria. 
Native of New Grenada. 
Nat. Ord. OrcHIpEm.—Tribe PLEUROTHALLIDES, 
Genus Maspevatiia, Ruiz. g Pav. ;—(Lindl. Gen. & Sp. Orchid., p. 192). 
Maspevatiia Peristeria; caulibus fasciculatis, foliis 4—6-pollicaribus 
lineari-oblongis obtusis basi angustatis sed vix petiolatis carinatis, 
seapis strictis vaginato-bracteatis robustis, floribus adscendentibus, 
sepalis basi in tubum latum subcylindricum basi gibbum alte 6-costatum 
connatis dein a basi lata triangulari-ovata in caudas flavas rectas sesqui- 
pollicares abrupte angustatis fulvis creberrime sanguineo maculatis 
intus glaberrimis, marginibus lente recurvis, petalis parvis oblique 
lineari-oblongis truncato-emarginatus, labello unguiculato, lamina 
ee medio subdilatata subacuta papillosa apice recurva, columna 
subacuta. 
MAspEVALLIA Peristeria, Reichb. f. in Gard. Chron., 1873, p. 500. 
A much less striking plant than JZ Chimera,* figured in 
last month’s number (Tab. 6152), and yet sufficiently re- 
markable if judged by the standard of its congeners. 
Reichenbach says that it comes very near Lindley’s J. 
coriacea, and his own M. civilis (Tab. nost. 5476), from which 
latter it differs in the much larger broader leaves, longer 
scapes, and tails to the perianth, but agrees well in the form 
of the petals and lip, and in the markings of the perianth.— 
The lip is, as Reichenbach remarks, very singularly coloured, 
being covered with innumerable close-set amethystine papille 
on a white ground. The name is given in allusion to the 
likeness of the top of the column and petals to those of the 
Dove-plant (Peristeria elata, Tab. nost. 3116), where the 
anther case represents a dove’s head, and the outstretched tips 
of the petals its wings, as in the Church’s symbol of the 
Holy Spirit, whence the name of El Spirito Santo was 
given to the Peristeria by its discoverers the Spaniards. 
__* Prof. Reichenbach kindly informs me that the ¥/. Chimera of the Revue 
Horticole is not the true plant, but M. Nicterinia, Reichb. f. 
APRIL Ist, 1875, 
