t. 
Tas. 6034, 
ACRAN THUS ARACHNITIS. 
Native of Madagascar. 
Nat. Ord. Orcuipem.—Tribe VanvE&. 
Genus Acrantuus, Lindl. ; (Gen. et Sp. Orchid., p. 2438). 
Acrantuus arachnitis ; foliis loratis non undulatis, pedunculo capillari, vaginis 
internodiis brevioribus appressis, flore 2-poll. diam. toto virescente, 
perianthii segmentis e basi lata abrupte caudato-attenuatis subacutis, 
sepalo dorsali basi late ovata, lateralibus basi latioribus quam longis 
margine inferiore gibboso-producto apicibus deflexis, petalis sepalo 
dorsali consimilibus, labello recurvo e basi oblongo subquadrata in 
- apicem triangularem caudato-acuminatum contracto, lateribus obscure 
unidentatis, calcare brevi sacciformi obtuso. 
AcrANTHES arachnitis, Lindl. Bot. Reg. sub. t. 817. 
Dexprosium arachnitis, Petit-Thouars, Hist. Orchid. Iles austral. d'Afrique, 
t. 88. 
The curious genus Acranthus was founded by Lindley upon 
Dendrobium arachnitis of Petit-Thouars, and another species, 
brought by Forbes from Madagascar, and which he rightly 
distinguished as 4. grandiflora (see Bot Reg. 1.c.), together 
with the magnificent dagrecum sesquipedale, which [ need 
hardly add is not a congener. In his “Genera et Species 
Orchidearum,” however, he modifies this opinion, and refers 
Thouars’ plant with a doubt to his 4. grandiflura, saying, 
“ I formerly thought Du Petit-Thouars’ D. arachnitis distinct 
from this, but a better acquaintance with the habits of tro- 
pical Orchidex has now induced me to cancel that supposed 
species.” —There is, however, no question but that Lindley’s 
first opinion was correct, 4. grandifora differing not only in its 
greater size, but in the shorter, broader, undulate, more mem- 
branous leaves, the more numerous lax sheaths of the scape, 
that exceed the internodes, and the paler yellower green colour 
of the flower. 4. arachnitis has been long cultivated at Kew 
maY Ist, 1873. 
