Tab. 7363. 

 GASTROCHILUS Curtisii. 



Native of Malay Peninsula. 



Nat. Ord. Scitamine.e. — Tribe ZingiberEjE. 

 Genus Gastrochilus, Wall; (Benth. et Eook.f. Gen. PL vol. iii. p. 642.) 



Gastbochilus Curtisii ; acaulis, foliis 3-4 oblongis acutis dorso pubescenhbns, 

 petiolo canaliculato demum alato, iloribus 3-4 centralibua sessihbus, 

 bracteis pallidis scariosia convolntis, calycis tubo cylindrico dentibua 

 lanceolatis erectis, corollae tubo cylindrico apice ampliato calyce duplo 

 longiori Iobis porrectis oblongo-lanceolatis albis, ataminodiia superionbua 

 oblongo-lanceolatis, labello oblongo apice et marginibus rubellis decur- 

 vatis, genitalibus e tubo breviter exsertia. 



This new species of Gastrochilus is nearly allied to G. 

 longifiora, Wall. (Bot. Mag. t. 4010), but the flowers are 

 smaller and the labellum is very different. It closely 

 resembles the well-known Kcempferia pandurata, Eoxb. 

 (Bot. Beg. tab. 173), and requires similar treatment. 

 Gastrochilus is only distinguished from Kcempferia by the 

 want of a crest to the anther, and I thmk it would be 

 better regarded as a subgenus, now that the difference 

 of habit has been so completely broken down by new dis- 

 coveries. The present plant is a native of the forests ot 

 Penang, where it was discovered by Mr. Chas. Curtis, 

 Assistant Superintendent of the Garden and Forests De- 

 partment, Straits Settlements. It was sent by him to the 

 Eoyal Gardens, Kew, in 1893, and flowered freely m a 

 warm conservatory last summer. 



Bescr.— Acaulescent. Bootstoch fleshy. Produced leaves 

 about four to a tuft, petiole four to six inches long, deeply 

 channelled down the face, winged on the edges in the 

 lower half ; blade oblong, acute, bright green, a loot long, 

 five or six inches broad at the middle, pubescent on the 

 back. Flowers white, contemporary with the leaves, 

 sessile, central ; bracts white, scariose, convolute, as long 

 as the calvx. Calyx white, scariose; tube cylindrical ; 

 teeth lanceolate, erect, Corolla-tube two inches long, 

 rather dilated at the top ; lobes standing forward, oblong- 



Jtjly 1st, 1894. 



