Ames — New Orchids from Tropical America. 85 



Malaxis tenuis {S. Wats.) comb. nov. Microstylis tenuis S. Wats, in Proc. 

 Am. Acad. 26 (1891) 152. 



Malaxis Tonduzii (Schltr.) comb. nov. Microstylis Tonduzii Schltr. in Fedde 

 Repert. 3 (1906) 106. 



Malaxis Tuerckheimii (Sddtr.) comb. nov. Microstylis Tuerckheimii 

 Schltr. in Beihefte Bot. Centralbi. 36, Abt. 2 (1918) 382. 



Malaxis Wercklei {Schltr.) comb. nov. Microstylis Wercklei Schltr. in 

 Beihefte Bot. Centralbi. 36, Abt. 2 (1918) 382. 



Pelexia Maxonii, sp. nov. 



Radices incrassatae, validae. Folia longipetiolata, erecta, lamina ovato- 

 elliptica, acuta. Scapus erectus, superne puberuliis, bracteis vaginantibus, 

 oblique acutis instructus. Racemus dense multiflorus, rhachide puberulus. 

 Bracteae inflorescentiae elongatae, lineari-lanceolatae, acutae. Sepala 

 lateralia patentia, ligulata, supra medium dilatata, prope apicem cymbi- 

 formia, extus pubescentia, mentum acutum formantia. Sepalum dorsale 

 ligulatum, acuminatum, .subacutum, extus pubescens. Petala basi angus- 

 tata, spathulata, acuta, margine anteriore ciliato-pubescenti. Labellum 

 supra medium dilatatum, prope apicem constrictum, infra apicem callo 

 /\-formi instructum, basi utrinque auriculatum, aiu'iculis incrassatis. 

 Columna elongata. 



Plant 29 cm. tall. Leaves few (two in the type), long petioled; petioles 

 8-10 em. long, sheathing at base, erect or spreading, in dried specimens 

 tinged with purple, lamina membranaceous, 12-14 cm. long, 4.5-5.8 cm. 

 wide, in dried specimens conspicuously netted-veined, ovate-elliptical, 

 acute, rounded at the base, glabrous. Scape with the raceme ± 28 cm. tall, 

 in part concealed by sheathing bracts, glandular-pubescent above. Raceme 

 densely many flowered, ±12 cm. long, about 4 cm. in diameter, rhachis 

 pubescent. Flowers with pedicellate ovary about 3 cm. long, subtended by 

 linear, acute bracts, ±1.7 cm. long. Lateral sepals including the mentum 

 1.7 cm. long, narrowed below the middle, linear-lanceolate, cymbiform near 

 the tip, carinate, pubescent on the outside. Free part of the mentum 

 about 3.5 mm. long. Upper sepal 1.3 cm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, oblanceolate, 

 abruptly acuminate, acute, sparsely pubescent. Petals adherent to the upper 

 sepal, spathulate-oblanceolate, acute, 12 mm. long, ciliate-pubescent 

 on the anterior margin, one-nerved. Labellum 1.7 cm. long, 4.75 mm. 

 wide above the middle, narrowed toward the base, dilated above the middle 

 into an oblong-elliptical, acute plate, constricted by a fold on each side, 

 and with an inverted V-shaped thickening 2 mm. from the tip, sagittate at 

 base, the sagittal divisions thickened and about 2 mm. long. Column 

 dilated above. Anther triangular-cordate, acute. 



CUBA. "Posesion de Starck" southeast of Jaguey, Yateras, Oriente. 

 William R. Maxon J^JiSl . May 3, 1907. Altitude 450-525 meters. Ter- 

 restial on rich forest slopes. (Type in United States National Herbarium 

 523200.) 



Platystele compacta, comb. nov. 



Stelis com-pacta Ames Orch. 3 (1908) 76, t. 53. The genus Platystele is 

 at present confined to Central America and as now limited contains only 



