are explained in the reference ‘to ‘the plate at the end of | 
the description. ‘he apex of the column (e in figs. 3 — 
and 4) varies greatly in length, in one specimen I found © 
it produced into a spur-at the back of the column. — re 
‘C. purpurascens isa native of Madagascar, Bourbon, and 
formerly of the Mauritius, where it is probably now ex- 
tinct. It varies greatly in stature, robustness, breadth of 
leaf, and number of flowers, from two to ten; and inthe. 
size of these, to somewhat larger, or a third smaller than 
are those here represented. ‘The specimen figured was 
procured by the Royal Gardens, Kew, from Messrs. Hugh — 
Low & Co. in 1894. It flowered in a stove in November, 
1896. It was described as C. Lowtana eight years pre- — 
viously by Reichenbach, but Mr. Rolfe has pomted out its 
identity with the plant of Thouars, figured in 1822. 
Deser.—Leaf solitary (or with a reduced second), six 
to eight inches long, by one to three broad, lanceolate or 
oblong-lanceolate, finely acuminate, seven to many-nerved ; 
base convolute, and wrapped in a cylindric, red-brown, 
truncate sheath. Peduncle stout or slender, six to ten 
inches long, with a lanceolate sheath, red-brown, two to 
ten-flowered ; bracts about an inch long, erect, lanceolate, 
tip setaceous. Ovary with the very short pedicel two 
inches long, slender, curved, sparsely glandular-hairy. 
Sepals membranous ; dorsal about a quarter of an inch 
long, galeate, hemispheric, green and red; lateral half an 
inch long, oblong, concave, obtuse, pale green. Petals as 
long as the dorsal sepal, and connivimg with it, ovate- 
lanceolate, obtuse, unequal sided, rose-colrd. Lip one and 
a quarter inch long or less, obovate from a broad claw, 
bright rose-red, three cleft; side-lobes dimidiate-ovate, 
obtuse; mid-lobe obovate, cleft to the middle; spur a8 
long as the lip, slender, green, tip clavate. Colwmn short, 
rose-pink.—J. D. H. | 
Fig. 1, Lateral sepal; 2, petal; 3, front, 4, side, and 5, dorsal view of — 
column; a. rostellum, 4. side-lobes of column (or of rostellum), c. glands 
caudicle of pollinia, d. stigmatic lobes, e. apex of column, f. glands represent- 
ing staminodes, g. mouth of spur :—A// enlarged. : 
