Cynorcliis purpurascens isanativeof tlieMascarenelslands, 

 where it was first found by Mr. G. Warpur, who describes 

 it as growing at an elevation of one thousand to one thousand 

 two hundred feet, on branches of Pandanus Candelabrum, 

 sometimes in tufts of Asplenium Nidus y hanging over 

 streams, and often accompanied by Impatiens grandiflora, 

 Hemsl. (tab. 7826). It is, according to Bojer, also a 

 native of the Mauritius, in marshes of the Plaines-Wilhems 

 and Moka, and Dr. Balfour collected it in Bourbon, where 

 it was discovered by Thouars. In the Eoyal Gardens, 

 Kew, it grows and flowers freely in the same house by 

 OdontogloHsum crispum, and it continues flowering for 

 upwards of six weeks in winter and early spring. 



Descr. — Stem very short. Leaves solitary or two, when 

 one is very small, the other attaining two feet in length 

 and eight inches in breadth, sessile, oblong, acuminate, 

 bright green above, nerves eight or more, parallel, very 

 stout on the pale undersurface of the leaf. Peduncle a 

 foot high, stout, strict, erect, bearing two large lanceolate 

 acuminate sheaths, two inches long. Flowers very many, 

 in a short, spiciforra raceme or globose head, which is 

 sometimes seven inches in diameter, with a few flowers 

 lower down in the peduncle. Bracts an inch long, lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, very pale green, convolute, much 

 shorter than the very slender strict ovaries, which are two 

 inches long. Perianth an inch and a half broad, rose- 

 coloured, with the disk of the tip white. Dorsal sepal 

 small, oblong, galeate, lateral much larger, orbicular- 

 ovate, spreading. Petals very small, linear-lanceolate, 

 ascending along the margins of the dorsal sepals. Lip 

 large, an inch broad and long, sub-equally four-lobed, 

 lobes cuneiform, w^ith crenulate anterior margins; spur 

 about as long as the ovary, slender, slightly incurved. 

 Lolumn very short ; rostellum sub-erect.—/. D. H. 



ricr. 1 . petal ; 2, side, and 3, front view of column and anther ; 4, pollinium : 

 -all enlar</ed. 



