Tab. 6368. 

 MASDEVALLIA polysticta. 



Native of Peru. 



Nat. Ord. OrchidejE. — Tribe Pleurothallidej:. 

 Genus Masdevallia, Ruizet Pav.; {Lindl. Oen.et 8p. Orchid, p. 102). 



Masdevallia (Amaridea) polysticta j foliis spathulato-oblanceolatis obtusis in 

 petiolum brevem angustatis apice retusis v. obtusis, scapis gracilibus folia 

 excedentibus plurifloris superne maculatis, fioribus racemosis pallide 

 lilacinis purpureo-punctatis, bracteis majusculis late ovato-oblongis viridi- 

 bus, sepalomm tubo perbrevi basi modice gibbo, sepalo dorsali late ovato 

 cymbiformi lateralibus oblique oblongis omnibus ciliolatis caudas patentes 

 triplo longiores ocbraceas punctatas abrupte angustatis, petalis parvis 

 spathulatis serratis, labello oblongo longitudinaliter replicato, lobo terminali 

 angustiore oblongo antice cucullato apice rotundata, columna apice serrulata. 



M. polysticta, Reichb.f. in Oard. Chron. 1874, vol. i. p. 338 ; andii. 2fl0 (non tab. 

 nost. 6268), 1875, i. 656, fig. 134. 



In the 1876 volume of this work I figured a little closely 

 allied Masdevallia, also from Peru, which was believed to be 

 Reichenbach's M. polysticta. This, he informs me, is not the 

 case, and that the said figure is of his M. melanopus (Gard. 

 Chron. 1873, vol. i. p. 338; 1874, vol. ii. p. 322), and not- 

 withstanding the difference in the colour of the three tails, 

 which he describes as very dark, I, of course, accept his 

 determination. M. polysticta was introduced from Northern 

 Peru by M. Eoezl in 1874, along with M. melanopus, and a 

 hitherto unfigured species, M. caloptera, Reichb. f. It has 

 flowered in Mr. Williams' nursery and at Kew and elsewhere 

 in the winter months. 



Descr. Densely tufted. Leaves four to five inches 

 long, oblanceolate or almost spathulate, obtuse, retuse, or 

 notched at the apex, obscurely 3-nerved, keeled at the back, 

 gradually narrowed into a rather stout petiole, pale green. 

 Scapes numerous, longer than the leaves, bearing a raceme of 

 four to eight flowers, green below, speckled with purple 

 above. Bracts rather large, one-third of an inch long, ovate- 



JtJKK 1st, 1878. 



