Tas, 8053. 
CYNORCHIS compacta. 
Natal. 
OrcHipaces. Tribe OpHRYDE. 
Cyrnorcuis, Thouars; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 628. 
Cynorchis compacta, Reichb. f. in Flora, 1888, p. 149 : species distinctissima, 
ab affinibus floribus albis rubro-punctatis differt. 
Herba terrestris, tuberifera. Tubera ovoidea vel fusiformia, subterranea, $-1 
poll. longa. Oaulis validus, brevis, monophyllus, basi vaginis laxis 
obtectus. Folia ovato-oblonga, szpissime breviter acuminata, suberecta, 
membranacea, circa 2-3 poll. longa. Scapus solitarius, erectus, 4-7 poll. 
altus; racemus multiflorus. Flores albi, labelli disco roseo-punctato. 
Bracteze lanceolate vel ovato-lanceolate, acuminate, 2-6 lin. longa. 
Pedicelli 4~9 lin. longi. Sepalum posticum erectum, ovatum, obtusum, 
2 lin, longum; sepala lateralia patentia, obliqua, ovata, obtusa, 2% lin. 
longa. Petala ovato-oblonga, obtusa, subobliqua, 2 lin. longa. Labellum 
patens, trilobum, 4-5 lin. longum, lobis orbiculari-obovatis crenulatis ; 
discus obscure bilamellatus; calcar clavatum, arcuatum, 1} lin. longum. 
Columna brevissima. 
Cynorchis is a small, exclusively African genus nearly 
allied to Habenaria, but separated by common consent on 
account of the broad, more or less concave or galeate 
rostellum. About thirty species are known, the majority 
being from the Mascarene Islands, seven others Tropical 
African, while the present is the only known representative 
in extra-tropical South Africa. Four have already been 
figured in this Magazine, namely, C. lowiana, Reichb. f. 
(t. 7551), at that time thought to be synonymous with 
C. purpurascens, Thouars ; C. grandiflora, Kidl. (t. 7564) ; 
C. villosa, Rolfe (t. 7845), remarkable for its very hairy 
flowers; and C. purpurascens, Thouars (t. 7852). These 
species are very diverse in appearance, and several of the 
others have much smaller flowers. Unlike Habenaria, the 
predominating colour of the flowers is purple, in which 
respect the present species is exceptional. 
C. compacta, Reichb. f., was originally discovered by 
Mr. John Sanderson, in Natal, about the year 1869, and a 
drawing was sent to Kew, from which the species was 
ultimately described. In 1895 it was rediscovered by Mr. 
J. M. Wood, on rocks near Emberton, at about 2000 feet 
JANUARY Ist, 1906, 
