As all the species of Cypripedium that have hitherto been 
found in intra-tropical America have in common the remark- 
able peculiarity of a three-celled ovary, Professor Reichen- 
bach is anxious to raise them—under the name of Selenipi- 
dium—into a separate genus; but however loth I may feel 
to differ from my distinguished friend, I cannot as yet see 
my way to accepting Selenipidium, except as a subgenus, in 
which latter form it may very conveniently stand. The strong 
family resemblance between such plants as C. levigatum from 
the Old World, and C. caudatum from the New, make it ex- 
ceedingly difficult to believe they can be essentially different 
In structure. ae 
There are still at the very least half-a-dozen noble Cypri-. 
pedia to introduce from America south of the equator. ‘Two 
of these (from the Quitensian Andes) are well figured in 
Reichenbach’s ‘Xenia,’ under the name of Selenipidium 
Hartwegii and 8. Boissierianum. As nothing so fine has yet 
reached us from the eastern hemisphere, we cannot but hope 
that some enterprising nurseryman will, ere long, add them 
to the treasures already in our stoves. 
Descr. A stemless terrestrial plant. There are from four 
to six leathery ligulate sharp-pointed leaves, a span to a foot 
long, from the centre of which issues the hirsute flower-stem, 
which is longer than the leaves, often branched, and gene- 
rally bearing about half-a-dozen flowers, of which not more 
than two or three are usually in perfection at the same time. 
Bracts triangular, flattened, more than half the length of the 
ovary, which is itself covered with soft velvety hairs. Sepals 
less than an inch long, ovate-obtuse, nearly uniform, but the 
lower one is slightly larger, hooded, and contracted at top. 
Petals vather larger than in the upper, or about equal to 
the lower sepal, white (like the sepals), with streaks or 
spots of crimson on the inner side, and a faint dash of crim- 
son behind. Jip formed of a large swollen elliptic bag or 
slipper with a contracted opening, white behind, but with a 
large blotch of deep rich crimson in front. Sterile stamen 
yellowish in front, ovate, panduriform, acuminate, having the 
upper lip of the stigma triangular, and the lower lip of the 
same bent backwards, and lobed.—J. B. 
Fig. 1. Side-view of staminodium (sterile stamen). 2. Front view of 
ditto :—magnified. 
