Tas. 8618. 
POLYSTACHY-~: PANICULATA. 
_ Tropical West Africa. 
ORCHIDACEAE. Tribe VANDEAE. 
Potystacuya, Hook.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 540. 
Polystachya paniculata, Rolfe in Dyer, Fl. Trop. Afr. vol. vii. p. 113; Gard. 
Chron. 1910, vol. xlviii. p. 462, fig. 202; inter species africanas foliis 
oblongis et coriaceis, floribus ample paniculatis et labello integro distincta. 
Herba epiphytica, 15-30 cm. longa. Caules erecti, 8-15 cm. longi, subteretes, 
3-4-phylli. Folia oblonga, breviter et obtuse biloba, coriacea, 14-17 cm, 
longa, 2°5-3 cm. lata. Inflorescentia terminalis, pedunculata, 15-25 cm. 
longa, ample paniculata, basi spathis oblongis 2 vel 3 obtecta; bracteae 
minutae; pedicelli graciles, 2 mm. longi. Flores numerosi, parvi. 
Sepalum posticum oblongum, subobtusum, 3-4 mm. longum; sepala 
lateralia ovata, postico latiora. Petala linearia, obtusa, 3-4 mm. longa. 
Labellum integrum, recurvum, oblongum, subobtusum, 3-4 mm. longum, 
margine undulatum. Colwmna lata, brevis. Pollinia 4, ovoidea; stipes 
oblonga; glandula squamiformis.—Dendrobiwm paniculatum, Swartz in 
Schrad. Neues Journ. vol. i. p. 97; Pers. Syn. vol. ii. p. 523; Lindl. Gen. 
& Sp. Orch. p. 92.—R. A. Roire. : 
The interesting orchid which forms the subject of our 
illustration was originally discovered in Sierra Leone by 
-Afzelius and was described by Swartz from this material 
as Dendrobium paniculatum. Its identity had long been 
doubtful, but was definitely settled owing to the kindness 
of Professor Fries of Upsala by whom the type of the 
species was lent to Sir W. T. Thiselton-Dyer while the 
Orchidaceae of Tropical Africa were being described. 
When the species was transferred to its true genus, 
Polystachya, in 1897, it was still known only from the 
Afzelian specimens, but a few years later a good 
herbarium specimen was transmitted to Kew by Mr. C. B. 
Ussher, who had met with it again in the Mabira Forest, 
Chagwe, in the Uganda Protectorate. For its intro- 
duction to our collections orchid growers are indebted to 
the late Sir Trevor Lawrence, who had received plants 
from West Africa communicated by his son, Captain C. T. 
Lawrence. It flowered in Sir Trevor’s collection at 
Burford, and was exhibited at a meeting of the Royal 
Juy, 1915, : 
