Tab. 5694. 



THUNIA Bensoxle. 



Mrs. Benson s Thunia. 



Nat. Ord. ORCHiDEiE. — Gtnandbia Monandma. 



Gen. Char. Perianthii foliola membranacea, erecto-patentia, lanceolata, 

 subsequalia, acuta. Labellum cum columua parallelum, basi in calcar breve 

 obtusum productum, 3-lobum, lobis lateralibus brevibus obtusis dentatis 

 columnam amplectentibus, intermedio producto flabellato, margine lobulato 

 dentate- undulato et crispato, disco carinis ciliatis ornato. Columna graci- 

 lis, semiteres, subalata, superne cucullata, 3-loba, lobo intermedio triangu- 

 lar! porrecto, lateralibus dentatis. Anthera cordata, 4-locularis, basi 8- 

 locellatus. Pollinia 4, clavata, sulcata, subtiliter granulosa. Stigma quad- 

 ratum. — Herba3 terrestres ; caulesfasciculati, basi tuberosi, elongati, foliosi, 

 inferne sguamis foliaceis recurvis vaginati. Flores pauci, speciosi, termi- 

 nates, nutantes, spathaceo-bracteati. 



Tudnia Bensonice ; floribus laete purpureis, labelli lobo intermedio oblongo 

 lateralibus longiore, columnar alis terrainalibus profunde dentatis. 



One of the most beautiful of the many recently-introduced 

 Orchids, and like its congener, the T. alba (the Phajus alius 

 of old), no doubt most easily grown. It was discovered by 

 an excellent correspondent, Colonel Benson, at Rangoon, 

 and flowered in July of last year, both at Kew and at Messrs. 

 Veitch's establishment. As a species, it is so very closely 

 allied to T. alba in everything but colour, that I have felt 

 very great doubts as to the propriety of calling it by any 

 other name ; but the flowers are larger, and the middle lobe 

 of the lip is much longer in proportion to the sepals, and 

 more oblong in shape. At Colonel Benson's request it 

 is named after his lady, and few more beautiful plants have 

 ever borne a lady's name. 



I have followed Reichenbach fil (Bot. Zeit. 1852, p. 764), 

 in adopting the genus Thunia as distinct from Phajus, rely- 

 ing chiefly mainly on the totally different habits and con- 

 sistence of the flower. Reichenbach further refers the genius 

 to Arethusece, and I find the pollinia to be composed of mi- 

 mabch 1st, 186S. 



