Tab. 5723. 

 NANODES Medusa. 



Medusas-head Orchid. 



Nat. Ord. OrCHIDE*!.— GrYNAITDRIA Moitandria. 



Gen. Char. Sepala ringentia, posticuin fornicatum, lateralia labello sub- 

 opposita eique basi connate. Petala sepalis lateralibus subeonformia et 

 suDparallela, libera. Labellum cum columna connatum, carnosum, indivi- 

 BUm. Columna clmandrio alato. Anthem 2-locularis, rostrata. Pollinia 4 

 compressa, collateralia, in caudicula orate oblonga v. lineari sessilia — 

 iierbse ISrasilienses et Novae (Jranadae incolce, epiphyte, caulescentes 'hu- 

 miles, crespitosa. Folia disticha, vaginantia, brevia, approximata. Flores 

 apices versus caulis axillares, solitarii. 



ft anodes Medusa; caulibus crassis pendulis pedalibus, foliis 3-pollicari- 

 bus oblongis obtusis apice insequaliter 2-lobis, floribus magnis, sepalis 

 petalisque subaequalibus lineari-oblongis acutis fusco-viridibus, labello 

 maximo orbiculato apice 2-lobo basi cordato 2-lobo ambitu profunde 

 nmbriato luride purpureo, pollinis caudicula lineari-oblonga. 



N anodes Medusae. Reichb.fL in Gard. Chron. 1867. _p. 432. 



Amongst the many bizarre flowers which Orchidea present, 

 few are more singular than this Nanodes, to which Mr. 

 Reichenbach has most felicitously given the specific name of 

 Medusa. Altogether the flattened, stout culms, and the 

 pale glaucous colour of the foliage, and the extraordinary 

 appearance and lurid purple of the flower, give it a most 

 sinister appearance, and, for an Orchid, a most unusual one. 

 I follow my learned friend Professor Eeichenbach in refer- 

 ring it to Nanodes, from Lindley's meagre description of 

 which genus it differs in the upper sepal not being arched. 

 It is a native of Ecuador, introduced by Messrs. Backhouse, 

 of York, and was flowered by the celebrated Orchid-grower, 

 Mr. Day, of Tottenham. 



Descb. Epiphytical. Stems densely tufted, pendent, branched 



ire-m the base, a foot long, terete at the base, thence covered 



densely with the imbricating flattened leaf-sheaths, which 



fcre as broad as the thumb. Leaves distichous ; blade two to 



auuust 1st, 1868. 



