Tas. 6477, 
MAXILLARIA PORPHYROSTELE. 
Native of South Brazil. 
Nat. Ord. Orcu1pex.—Tribe VanpEx. 
Genus Maxittaria, Ruiz et Pav.; (Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orchid. p. 150.) 
Maxitiaria (Uniflore) porphyrostele; acaulis, pseudobulbis ovoideo-orbiculatis 
' compressis subsuleatis lateribus obtusis, foliis 2 ligulatis obtusis basi angus- 
tatis, scapis radicalibus 1-floris, bracteis vaginantibus viridibus subacutis inferne 
imbricatis supremo subcucullato obtuso ovarium subsquante, sepalis subacutis 
incurvis stramineis dorsali oblongo vix fornicato, lateralibus subdeflexis basi 
latioribus, petalis angustioribus ascendentibus incurvis linearibus subacutis 
stramineis medio basin versus purpurascente, mento obtuso, labello trilobo, lobis 
lateralibus auriculeformibus erectis marginibus incurvis aureis purpureo striatis, 
_intermedio orbiculari-oblongo obtuso planiusculo basi callo tuberculeformi 
aucto pallide aureo, columna purpurea. 
M. porphyrostele, Reichb. f. in Gard. Chron. 1873, p. 978. 
A native of the Rio Grande de Sul province of Brazil, 
whence it was imported by Mr. Bull, with whom it first 
flowered in 1873. Its nearest ally is the M. picta, Hook., 
figured at Tab. 3154 of this work, a native of the Organ 
Mountains (Rio de Janeiro), and which differs in the pseudo- - 
. bulbs, fewer bracts, and in the colouring of the much larger 
very sweet-scented flowers. Both belong to the largest 
section of the genus, many of which have a good deal the 
habits of Indian Coelogynes, which genus Mazillaria in 
some respects represents in America. Reichenbach describes 
the pseudo-bulbs of this species as covered with numerous 
wrinkles, which not being the case in the specimen here 
figured, is probably due to a want of ripening, or to a too 
advanced state of that organ, which in a healthy condition 
is perfectly smooth. The flowers, which are copiously pro- 
duced, have no scent, but owing to their bright golden 
colour the plant is a very attractive one. The specimen 
figured is from a plant about a foot in diameter, which is 
covered with flowers in the early months of the year. 
Desor. Pseudo-bulbs one inch long and hardly so broad, 
FEBRUARY Ist, 1880, 
