Tas. 7461. 
BIFRENARIA tyrrantuina. 
Native of Brazil. 
Nat. Ord. Orcurprm.—Tribe VanDEX. 
Genus Birrenarra, Lind/.; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 546, 
Birrenanria tyrianthina; pseudobulbis magnis ovoideis trigonis subcancellatis, 
folio sessili elliptico-oblongo, pedunculo valido 3-5-flora decurvo, bracteis 
spathaceis tubulosis brunneis, pedicellis crassis, floribns amplis rubro-pur- 
pureis, marginibus sepalorum et petalorum subcrispatis, sepalis oblongo- 
rotundatis dorsali erecto, lateralibus dorsali multo majoribus latioribusque 
ope pedis columnz in mentum fere bipollicarem rectum obtusum connatis, 
etalis sepalo dorsali paullo minoribus subtrapezoideo-obovatis retusis 
asi cuneatis, labello sepalis multo minore tubo infandibulari, lobis 
lateralibus rotundatis, terminali lato revoluto intus pilis albis hirsuto, 
callo tubo incluso crasso carnoso subclavato hirsuto apice truncato, 
columna brevissime in pedem elongatum hirsutam producta, polliniarum. 
stipitibus liberis. 
B. tyrianthina, Reichb. f. Xenia, vol.i. p. 61 and 223. Regel Gartenfl. vol. 
xiii. (1864) p. 4, t. 422, £.2. Rolfe in Lindenia, vol. x. t. 446. 
B. Dallemagnei, Hort. Linden. 
Lycaste tyrianthina, Lodd. Cat. ew Loud. Hort. Brit. Hd. 1850, Suppl. p. 582. 
Maxillaria tyrianthina, Hort. ex Baxt.in Loud. l.c. Josst, Beschr.u. Cult. 
Orchid. p. 272. 
The history of Bifrenaria tyrianthina has been given by 
Mr. Rolfe in “‘ Lindenia,” cited above. It was introduced 
by Messrs. Loddiges from Brazil about sixty years ago, and 
according to Loudon appears in one of Loddige’s catalogues 
as a Lycaste, but in which of the catalogues (there were 
several of the plants of that celebrated nursery) does not 
appear, nor can I find it in any to which I have access. 
There is a specimen of it in Lindley’s Herbarium (now at 
Kew) ticketed as from “Mr. Hedges, the Castle, Wal- 
lingford,” without date, but obtained probably not long 
after its introduction. Lindley supposed it to be a purple - 
flowered variety of B. inodora, Lindl. (B. fragrans, Rod- 
rig.) to which it is very nearly allied; but according to 
Mr. Rolfe, besides the difference of colour of the flowers, 
the lip is more velvety, the callus more truncate, and the 
mentum longer and stouter. A further difference is that 
B. inodora, though so named by Lindley, is said by Rod- 
FEBRUARY Ist, 1896, 
