Cora, AD. hs iw 
(.. 2755") ‘ 
GonGorA spPeciosA. LARGE YELLOW- 
FLOWERED GONGORA. | 
| Class and Order. 
Gynanpria Monanpria. 
( Nat. Ord—Orcuinea. ) 
Generic Character. 
Petala 3 exteriora patentissima subuniformia, 2 interiora 
minora. Columna elongata. Labellum pedicellatum, varie 
appendiculatum. Masse pollinis 2, pedicellate. 
__ Specific Name. 
Goncora speciosa ; petalis approximatis, labello saccato, 
appendice magna pedunculata galeata, columna basi 
bidentata,  - 5 yet bar Feta Go Doe 
Descr. Parasitic. Roots whitish, flexuose, branched. Stem 
an oblong, deeply striated, green bu/b, broadest towards the | 
base, terminated by two linear-lanceolate, at both ends very much 
tapering, strongly striated and subplicated leaves. Scape radical, 
a foot, or a foot and a half long, erect, compressed, jointed, with 
brown sheathing scales at the joints, and bearing two (or more ?) 
powerfully, but not agreeably scented flowers at the extremity, of 
a very large size, and so curious in structure, that I should fail 
to make myself understood without the aid of the figures. The 
three outer petals are remarkably spreading and reflected, and 
folded back at their margins, so that it is difficult to trace the 
true form of them. They are, however, ovate, or ovato-lanceo- 
late, the upper one two, the Jateral ones three inches in length, 
of a thin membranaceous texture, longitudinally striated, and of 
a gamboge yellow colour. The two ¢nmer ones stand almost up- 
right, but are waved, and somewhat twisted, yellow, linear-oblong, 
destitute of striz. All these are inserted at the base of the co- 
Jumn. Lip (f. 1. A.) pedunculated : peduncle an inch long, cy- 
lindrical, almost white, deflexed. The lip itself is formed of two 
Portions: at the base is a deep orange, satiny, large cup or sack 
(f. 1. a.), from the inner and upper margin of which, there rises a 
very large, again pedunculated, helmet-shaped process, of a thick 
an y nature, hollow within, g erect (f. 1. b.), which 
covers, with its acuminated, trifid t, the top of the column of 
fructification : its colour is a reddish, or tawny yellow: its pe- 
duncle 
