Tas. 7551, 
CYNORCHIS purrurascens. 
Native of the Mascarene Islands. 
Nat. Ord. Orcuipraz.—Tribe OrpurYpDExX. 
Genus Cynorcuts, Thou.; (Benth. & Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 628.) 
CYNoRCHIS purpurascens; tuberibus cylindraceis, folio solitario (v. 2, 
unico parvo) sessili lanceolato v. lineari-oblongo acuminato 7-© nervi 
basi convoluto vagina brunnea truncata appressa instructo, nervulis 
trabeculatis, scapo 2-10-floro medio vaginato, bracteis lanceolatis setaceo- 
acuminatis haud inflatis, ovario gracili 2-pollicari sparse glanduloso- 
piloso, sepalis concavis, dersali hemispherico roseo, lateralibus duplo 
majoribus oblongis apice rotundatis viridibus, petalis erectis oblongo- 
lanceolatis obtusis inzequilateralibus roseis, labelli ampli rosei ungue lato 
lobis lateralibus dimidiato-ovatis, intermedio obovato lateralibus paullo 
longiore ad medium bifido, calcare labio squilongo apice fusiforme, 
clinandrio reclinato, rostello decurvo, anthers tubulis rostello longioribus, 
loculis dorso ad basin column affixis, polliniarum candiculis filiformibus. 
asag purpurascens, Lindl. Gen. § Sp. Orchid. 331, Baker Fl. Maurit. 
p. 337. ; 
C. Lowiana, Reichb. f. in Gard. Chron. 1888, vol. i. p. 424. 
CYNosoRCHIs purpurascens, Thou. Orch. Ins. Afric. Ic, t. 15; tab. 8, p. 1 
purpurea), 
Gymnadenia purpurascens, 4. Rich. in Mem. Hist. Nat. Par. vol. iv. (1828) 
p. 27, t. 6, f. 1. (anal. erron.) Bojer, Hort. Maurit, p. 311. 
The genus Cynorchis is so closely allied to Habenaria 
that it appears to me to be doubtful how far it may prove 
to be distinguishable when the latter genus shall be either 
dismembered or divided into stable groups. The character 
chiefly depended on for Cynorchis is the large complicate 
midlobe (so called) of the 3-lobed rostellum, which organ, 
in the species here figured, does not well answer to this 
description, for what I take to be the side-lobes of the 
rostellum I should refer to the sides of the column, 
the true rostellum being a triangular, decurved and 
concave, but not plicate body. A more important dis- 
tinction from Habenaria may prove to be the reclinate 
clinandrium, with the pollen-cells placed at the very base 
of the back of the column. ‘To understand, however, the 
complicate nature of the latter organ in (. purpurascens, 
it is necessary to refer to the analyses here given, which 
Avaust Ist, 1897. 
