Tab. 5529. 



li paris atropurpurea. 



Dark-purple-jlowered Liparis. 



Nat. Ord. Orchide^. — Gynandria Monandria. 



Gen. Char. Sepala patentia, libera ; lateralia basi aequalia, saepius breviora. 

 Petala sepalis angustiora, linearis vel filiformia. Labellum ascendens vel erect um, 

 basi cum columna paululum accretum, supra basin sajpius bituberculatum, inte- 

 grum, nunc mucronibus aliquot sed lobis nullis. Columna elongata, semiteres, 

 incurva, apice marginata. Anthem bilocularis. Pollinia 4, collateralia. Lindl. 

 Gen. et. Sp. p. 26. 



Liparis atropurpurea ; foliis 2-4 subrotundis acuminatis petiolatis plicatis basi 

 obliquis cucullatis racemo erecto rari-(vel pluri-)floro subsequalibiis, scapo 

 tereti, labello oblongo obtuso recurvo crenulato, sepalis lateralibus oblongo- 

 lanceolatis obliquis, petalis longissimis filiformibus. Lindl. I. c. 



Liparis atropurpurea. Wight, Icon. PI. hid. Orient, v. 3. p. 904. 



Although by no means a showy plant, this is by far the most 

 ornamental species of the sombre genus to which it belongs. 

 It is a native of Ceylon, and was sent to Kew, in 1862, from the 

 Botanic Garden at Peradenia, by Mr. Thwaites. Placed at the 

 cooler end of the East Indian house, it flowered finely in June 

 of the present year under the zealous management of Mr. Smith. 

 It is terrestrial, and should be potted in a mixture of peat and 

 loam. 



Descr. Plant terrestrial, a foot or more high. Leaves from 

 two to four, plicated, nearly round, acuminate, petiolate, oblique 

 at the base and somewhat hooded, about equal in length to the 

 raceme, which, though few-flowered according to Dr. Lindley's 

 description, was many-flowered in the specimen from which the 

 figure was taken. Scape round. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, half 

 an inch long, bent slightly backwards. Petals long for the 

 genus, stretched out horizontally, waved, and, like the sepals, of 

 a chocolate-purple. Lip oblong-obtuse, recurved, crenulate in 



SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1865. 



