Tas. 6740, 
MASD EVALLIA Scuturma. 
Nat. Ord. OncHipEx.—Tribe Ep1IpENDREZ. 
Genus Masprvati1a, Ruiz et Pav.; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p. 492.) 
Maspevatx1 Schlimii ; foliis longe petiolatis obovato-ellipticis apice rotundatis, 
scapis folia longe superantibus: multifloris, vaginis remotis cylindraceis oblique 
truncatis, floribus majusculis, bracteis spathaceis, perianthii flayi brunneo 
creberrime conspureati tubo brevissimo, sepalis in laminam subpanduriformem 
convexam 3-caudatam basi 2-lobam alte connatis, caudis sordide flavis sepalis 
2-3-plo longioribus, petalis columne zquilongis angustis lineari-oblongis 
medio angustatis apices versus obtusos oblique truncatis, labello columne 
sequilongo breviter unguiculato lineari-oblongo basi bilobo supra basin con- 
stricto, medio incrassato et 2-auriculato, auriculis introflexis, apice in appendicem 
recurvam acutam carnosam producto, columna gracili apice integerrimo, 
M. Scutimu, Linden MSS.; Reichb. f. in Bonplandia, vol. ii. p. 283; et in 
Gard. Chron. 1883, vol. i. p. 532, fig. 80. 
This, as Dr. Reichenbach well observes, is allied to the 
remarkable M. Ephippium, figured at Plate 6208 of this 
work. It is, however, a much less robust plant, with 
smaller flowers ; the lateral sepals are very much smaller, 
they want the curious crests of M. Hphippium, and their 
tails do not meet at the base, but are placed as far as 
possible apart. Though not nearly so large as M. Ephippiwm, 
it presents one of the larger and more robust species, and 
Dr. Reichenbach mentions that the leaves of his wild | 
Specimens are upwards of a foot in length. Its native 
country is the mountains of Merida, altitude 6000 feet, in 
Venezuela, where it was discovered in 1847 by the late 
Louis Schlim, half-brother of M. Linden; it was not, 
however, introduced till quite lately, by a collector of 
Messrs. Sander of St. Albans. 
I am indebted for the specimen here figured to Sir Trevor 
Lawrence, who sent it in April, 1883. 
_ I know of no plants in the whole range of the vegetable 
kingdom the organs of which are so difficult to describe in 
appropriate terms as those appertaining to the flowers of 
_Orchidew. In most genera of the Order this applies 
especially to the labellum, but in Masdevallia the three 
FEBRUARY Ist, 1884. 
