Tas. 8737. 
SARCOCHILUS soLOMONENSIS. 
Solomon Islands. 
ORCHIDACEAE. Tribe VANDEAE. 
Sarcocuius, R. Br.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol, iii. p. 575. 
Sarcochilus solomonensis, Rolfe in Kew Bulletin, 1908, p. 72; species a 
S. Engleriano, Kraenzl., foliis latioribus, floribus majoribus, labelli 
caleare oblongo et disco cristato distincta. 
Herba epiphytica, habitu Phalaenopseos ; caulis brevis, erectus. Folia disticha, 
recurva, oblonga, obtusa vel oblique et brevissime bidentata, 20-25 cm. 
longa, 5-6 cm, lata. Scapi axillares, suberecti vel arcuati, interdum sub- 
penduli, 80-35 cm. longi; racemi subdensi, multiflori; bracteae patentes, 
triangulari-ovatae, acuminatae, 2-3 mm. longae, basi concavae ; pedicelli 
patentes, graciles, 1°5 cm. longi. Flores gilvi, brunneo-punctati. Sepala 
subpatentia, obovata, obtusa, 1°2-1°5 cm. longa, basi cuneato-attenuata. 
Petala subpatentia, sepalis subaequalia. Labellum brevissime unguicu- 
latum, 3-lobum, 0°6-0°8 cm. longum, ungue lineari, lobis lateralibus sub- 
patentibus oblongis obtusis vel minute dentatis, lobo intermedio minuto 
quadrato apice denticulato, disco cristato, caleare erecto oblongo obtuso. 
Columna oblonga, circiter 2 mm. longa. Pollinia 2, obovoidea ; stipes 
clavato-oblonga; glandula squamiformis.—R, A. RoLre. 
The interesting Sarcochilus here fi gured was originally 
described from herbarium material accompanied by a 
photograph of an entire plant communicated to Kew by 
Mr. C. M. Woodford from Tulagi, in the Solomon Islands, 
in which archipelago he reported the species to be 
common. Subsequently a living plant was brought 
from the archipelago to England by Sir Everard im 
Thurn, and presented to Kew in September, 1910. Here 
it has been grown in a tropical house, in company with 
various members of the genus Phalaenopsis, to some of 
which our plant, when out of bloom, bears a considerable 
resemblance. Like these it thrives remarkably well 
under conditions of great heat and moisture, with dense 
shade during bright weather. Under these conditions it 
flowered in June, 1916, when the figure here supplied 
was prepared. Though so like a Phalaenopsis in habit, 
the plant differs greatly in its inflorescence and floral 
NovemsBsr, 1917. 
