Tas. 4517, 
OBERONITA trtpirotia. 
Tris-leaved Oberonia. 
Nat. Ord. OrcHIpE®.—GyNANnDRIA Monogynta. 
Gen. Char. Sepala patentia v. reflexa, seepius inter se equalia, libera. Petala 
sepalis minora, nunc iis conformia, nunc linearia, aliquando erosa. Labellum 
ascendens, cum columna haud articulatum, forma varia, sepius elongatum, sem- 
per magis minusve distincte 4-lobum: lobis lateralibus nunc dentiformibus, 
intermediis quandoque fere connatis. Columna minima, libera, stigmate elevato. 
Anthera bilocularis. Pollinia duo, pyriformia, solida—Herbe supra arbores 
et sawa crescentes, sepius acaules; foliis semper distichis. Scapus sepius anceps. 
Flores xune racemo longissimo verticillati, nunc alterni, virides v. lutei. Lindl. 
OsERonta iridifolia ; foliis latis ensiformibus, racemo longo, basi ancipiti mul- 
tifloro, floribus verticillatis, bracteis fimbriatis, sepalis reflexis, petalis erosis, 
labello subovato obtuso fimbriato basi concavo obsolete 4-lobo, Lindl. 
OpeRonta iridifolia. Lindl. in Wall. Cat. n. 1948. et in Gen. et Sp. Orchid. p. V5. 
CymBipiuM iridifolium. Roxb. Hort. Bengal. p. 63. Fl. Ind. v. 8. p. 458. 
Mauaxis ensiformis. Sm. in Rees’ Cycl. v. 22. 
The genus Oderonia is one of the most remarkable of all 
Orchideous plants, in the distichous characters of the leaves and 
in the usually very dense spikes of minute flowers, not inaptly 
resembling those of Myosurus. The name is thus classically 
explained by its author, Dr. Lindley : “Ut Oberon, regiolus ille 
Dryadeus, Empusarum septentrionalium princeps, in ramos ar 
borum equitat, inter folia vultum multiformem abscondens, sic 
herbiole nostre, facie non minus mutabiles, in Indie sylvis 
latitant v. in curru suo frondoso triumphant.” The present is, 
I believe, the largest of the known species, and is a native of 
Otaheite, where it was first detected by Sir Joseph Banks (and 
whence our living plants were sent us by Mr. Bidwill), of Ceylon 
(Macrae), and of Nepal and Silhet, where it was found by 
Dr. Buchanan Hamilton and by Dr. Wallich, and where it 
flowers in the cold season. With us it first produced its 
singular flower-spikes (more like a rat’s than a mouse’s tail) 
in January 1850. 
Duscr. Epiphytal. Zeaves few, broad, ensiform, acuminated, 
JUNE Ist, 1850, : 
