Tas. 7099, 
COTTONTA maorosracuya. 
Native of the Peninsula of India and Ceylon. 
Nat. Ord. OncHEX.—Tribe VanvEx. 
Genus Cortonia, Wight ; (Benth. et Hook.f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p. 572.) 
Cortoxta macrostachya; caule suberecto 6-8-pollicari folioso internodiis 
brevibus, foliis loratis recurvis canaliculatis inzqualiter 2-lobis, scapo 
12-18-pollicari erecto gracili distanter ramoso, ramis apices versus flori- 
_ feris, bracteis parvis ovatis, pedicellis elongatis cum ovario 3-1 pollicaribus, 
° sepalis oblongis obtusis petalisque angustioribus patentissimis luride 
flavis sanguineo-striatis, labello sepalis multo majore et latiore purpureo 
aureo marginato, lobis lateralibus parvis, auriculeformibus, terminali 
ad amplo patente subpandurzformi retuso, marginibus late villogis. 
Cottonia macrostachya, Wight Ic. Pl. Ind. Or. t. 1755; Dalz. & Gibs, Bomb. 
Fl. 263; Lindl. in Journ, Linn. Soc. vol. iii. p. 39. 
C. peduncularis, Reichb.f. in Cat. Orchid. Schill. 1857, p. 52; Thwaites Enum. 
Pl. Zeylan, 303; Walp. Ann. vol. vi. p. 860. 
“are aes Lindl. Gen. & Sp. Orchid. 216; Paxt. Fl. Gard. vol. ili. 
ae tx SDS. ‘ ; 
An interesting Orchid, as being the only Indian one 
known to me of which the lip resembles that of an 
Ophrys. This was observed’ by Lindley when describing 
the plant, partly from a drawing made in Ceylon; and it 
may be added that Ophrys aranifera is the species to 
which it makes the nearest approach in form and colour; . 
‘but whereas in the Spider Orchid the insect’s eyes are 
counterfeited by the two coloured calli at_the base of the © 
lip, in Cottonia the same effect is produced by the minute 
basal lobes of the lip itself. Re ee 
 Cottonia was first described as Vanda peduncularis by 
Lindley, from which genus it differs in the absence of a 
spur on the lip. Later, Wight perceiving that it was no 
Vanda, and hence not suspecting that it was the Ceylon 
plant described under that genus by Lindley, gave it the 
name Cottonia after Major (now Major-General and C.S.I.) 
Cotton, of the Madras Engineers, an indefatigable coHector 
-and successful cultivator of Orchids, who found it at 
Tellicherry in Malabar, and sent to Dr. Wight specimens __ 
Fesrvuary Ist, 1890. 
4% 
