Tab. 5486. 



LISSOCHILUS Horsfalli] 



Mr. Horsf all's Lissochilus. 



Nat. Ord. Orchide^. — Gynandria Monandria. 



Gen. Char. Lissochilus, R. Brown in Lindl. Coll. Bot. t. 31. Perianthium 

 explanatum. Sepala herbacea (vel brunnca), parva, reflexa vel patentia, libera. 

 Petala maxima, patentia, aiaeformia. LabeUtun saccatum, coneavum, subinte- 

 grum v. trilobum, cum bast oolumnaj ssepius connatum. Columna erecta, brevis, 

 semiteres. Anthera bilocularis, cristata. Pollinia 2, postice biloba, caudicula 

 lineari brevi, glandula triangulari. Lindl. Gen. et Sp. p. 191. 



Lissochilus HorsfalUi; foliis plicatis acutissimis seapo radicali exaltato multi- 

 floro duplo brevioribus, bracteis amptexicaulibus scssilibus acutis, sepalis 

 secpjalibus lanceolatis acuminatis undulatis retusis, petalis multo majoribus 

 patentibus subquadratis obtusis, labello sublibero basi iufundibiiliformi 

 obscure trilobo, lobis lateralibus maximis couvexis ascendentibus rotun- 

 datis, epichilio ovato obtuso 3-costato, columna marginata, anthera biden- 

 tata. Bateman. 



For the opportunity of figuring this fine addition to the rare 

 genus Lissochilus we are indebted to J. B. Horsfall, Esq., M.P., 

 of Bellamour Hall, Staffordshire, to whom it was sent (in 1861) 

 from the Old Calabar River, by Mr. S. Cheetham. It flowered 

 in October last in Mr. Horsfall's collection, treated as a warm 

 terrestrial Orchid. In habit and in general appearance it bears 

 some resemblance to the well-known Phajm grandifolius (Bletia 

 Tankervittia), but the "structure of the flowers is altogether dif- 

 ferent. Perhaps its nearest affinity is with another charming 

 species of Lhsochihs, L. roseus, also a West African plant, but 

 which, it is much to be regretted, has long since disappeared 

 from our collections. May we not hope that the evidence now 

 afforded of the beauty of certain West African Orchids may lead 

 to increased efforts for the introduction of additional species on 

 the part of those who, like Mr. Horsfall, have at their command 

 peculiar facilities for obtaining the natural productions of the 

 countries in question ? For even if it be true that a large pro- 

 portion of the Orchids of intertropical Africa arc unattractive, 



JANUARY 1ST, 1865. 



