. 
7 
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: 
Tas. 8839. 
PLEUROTHALLIS puncotutara. 
Colombia. 
ORCHIDACEAE. Tribe EPIDENDREAE, 
PLEUROTHALLIS, Ft. Br. ; Benth. et Hook, f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 488. 
. 
Pleurothallis punctulata, Rolfe in Gard. Chron. 1888, vol. iv. p. 7563. 
species distincta, a P. inflata, Rolfe, foliis farinaceo-glaucis et spatha 
ampla valde differt. 
Herba epiphytica, 12-15 cm. alta. Cauwles subteretes, subgraciles, 5-7 em. 
longi, ad medium vaginis tubulosis angustis vestiti, monophylli. Folia 
breviter petiolata, ovato-elliptica, subacuta, coriacea, copiose farinaceo- 
glauca, 6-8 cm. longa, 2-2°5 cm. lata, prope basin subrecurva; petioli 
0°5 em. longi, semitorti. Spatha axillaris, conduplicata, carinata, 
lanceolato-oblonga, glauca, 2°5-3 cm. longa, 0°5 ecm. lata. Pedunculus 
5-6 cm. longus, unifiorus. Flores mediocres, flavi, purpureo-punctulati. 
Sepala subconniventia; posticum lanceolatum, subacutum, 2°5 em. 
longum, 0°9 cm. latum; lateralia connata, limbum obovato-ellipticum, 
subacutum, concavum, 2°5 cm. longum, 1 cm, latum effingentia. Petala 
late lanceolata, acuta, 0.9 cm. longa, 8 mm. lata. Labellwm subtrilobum, 
1°5 em. longum, atropurpureum; lobi laterales erecti, oblongi, obtusi, 
0:6 cm. longi; lobus intermedius ellipticus, obtusus, subconcavus, 1°1 em. 
longus; discus papilloso-asperulus. Columna clavata, 0°8 cm. longa, 
alis angustis integris. Pollinia 2, pyriformia.—R. A. Roire. 
The very large and natural Orchidaceous genus 
Pleurothallis contains relatively few species that can be 
regarded as valuable from the standpoint of the orchid 
grower. The species here figured, P. punctulata, may be 
included among those worthy of a place in a good 
collection, even if its claims on aesthetic grounds are 
not of a high standard, owing to its rarity. To a place 
in the pages of this Magazine it is fully entitled because 
of its considerable botanical interest. It seems to be 
unique in the genus Pleurothallis for the glaucous hue of 
the leaves, due to a dense coating of greyish-white 
farina. It is also curious on account of a characteristic 
twist at the base of the petiole, the effect of which is to 
bring the solitary flower opposite the under-surface of 
the leaf. This feature was alluded to when the species 
was first described by Mr. Rolfe, now thirty years ago, 
but was then cautiously adverted to as possibly an 
accidental circumstance. The experience of a generation 
January—Marcu, 1920. : 
