82 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



Bletia Nelsonii, sp. nov. 



Differt ab affinibus praesertim labello ecarinato. Radices et pseudo- 

 bulbi non praestant. Folia tria (plus minusve?), anguste oblongo-lanceo- 

 lata, utrinque attenuata, membranacea, subtus, in sicco, conspicue et 

 prominenter nervosa, ad basim vaginantia. Scapus erectus, gracilis, 

 vaginis brevibus instructus. Racemus laxus, plus minusve quindecim- 

 florus. Flores in sicco pallidi. Sepala petalaque ligulato-spathulata. 

 Labellum trilobatum, per discum prominenter nervosum. Lobi laterales 

 permagni, irregulariter lobulati vel crenulati, valde obtusi. Lobus medius 

 profunde retusus, irregulariter lobulatus. Columna gracilis. 



Roots and pseudobulbs wanting. Leafy shoot about 76 cm. long, slender 

 below, terminating in the narrow leaves which are attenuated at both ends, 

 lamina of the largest leaf about 46 cm. long, 3.1 cm. wide near the middle, 

 conspicuously three-nerved, the other nerves more or less prominent; 

 narrowest leaf about 1.4 cm. wide. Scape slender, including the raceme 

 about 76 cm. long, 5 mm. in diameter near the base, four-bracteate, the 

 bracts sheathing and tubular, ± 2.5 cm. long. Raceme laxly flowered, 

 up to 2 dm. long. Pedicels, with the ovary, 1.7-2 cm. long, subtended by 

 lanceolate, acuminate, acute bracts 4.7 mm. long. Flowers yellowish in 

 dried specimens (pinkish when fresh?) ± 3 cm. apart, 1.8 cm. long. Lateral 

 sepals subspreading, ±1.7 cm. long, 3 mm. wide, narrowly spathulate, 

 abruptly acute, many-nerved. Upper sepal similar. Petals rhombic- 

 spathulate, obtuse, 1.7 cm. long, 4.25 mm. wide, many-nerved. Labellum 

 1.7 cm. long, 1 cm. wide between the lateral lobes, obovate-lanceolate in 

 outline, ecarinate, but prominently nerved longitudinally, lateral lobes 

 very broad, angularly lobulate or crenulate on the margin, porrect; middle 

 lobe subquadrate, deeply retuse, 4 mm. long, 6 mm. wide, irregularly 

 crenate-dentate or lobulate on the margin. Column 1.3 cm. long, gradu- 

 ally dilated upward. 



In habit similar to Bletia Parkinsonii Hook., which bears larger flowers 

 with a very different labellum. In dried specimens the flowers are yellow- 

 ish with inconspicuous pinkish stains here and there. Perhaps when fresh 

 they are altogether pink in color. 



MEXICO, Oaxaca, Vicinity of Choapam, E. W. Nelson 913, July 28-29, 

 1894. 3800-4500 feet altitude. (Type in United States National Herbari- 

 um.) 



M alaxis mexicana, sp. nov. 



Herba terrestris. Similitudinem gerit cum M. fastigiata Ktze. Folia 

 duo, ovato-lanceolata, approximata. Flores in racemum subumbellatum 

 dispositi. Sepala oblongo-elliptica. Petala linearia. Labellum antice 

 triloba timi, lobulis obtusis. 



Plant 2 dm. tall, resembling M. fastigiata, from which it is clearly sepa- 

 rated by the three-lobed labellum. Stem tumid at the base, sheathed by 

 several scarious bracts. 9 cm. long to the base of the lowermost leaf, in dried 

 specimens longitudinally sulcate, naked above, bifoliate near the middle. 

 Leaves about 4 cm. long, up to 2.5 cm. wide, ovate-lanceolate, acute. 



