Loddigesiane. Tab . 20. 
DENDROBIUM POLYSTACHYON. 
Nat. Orv. Orchidew. Sect. 5. Br. Pr. 1. 330. Linn. Syst, Gynandria Monandria. — 
DENDROBIUM, Sw. Labellum ecalcaratum, articulatum cum apice processis unguiformis, cujus lateribus petala 
antica adnata calcar emulantia. Masse pollinis 4, parallele. Br. in Ait. Kew. ed. alt. 5. 219. 
Helleborine ramosa ; floribus minimis luteis. Plum. Cat. p.9. 
Epidendrum foliis radicalibus. Plum. Am. t. I8b. f. I. 
Epidendrum minutum. Aubl. Guian. 2. 824. 
Cranichis luteola. Sw. Ind. Occ. 3. 1433. 
Dendrobium polystachyon ; foliis subradicalibus lato-lanceolatis, scapo ancipiti, spicis pluribus alternis secundis. Sy. 
Act. Holm. 1800. p. 247. Willd. Sp. Pl. 4. 137 . Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 458. 
Descr. Folia in bulbo parvo, epigwo connata, cum petiolo vaginante articulata, decidua, vestigiis bulbum tunicantia, lan- 
ceolata, paulé obliqua, planiuscula, apice integerrima. Spica composita, scapo ancipite, bracteis longis, striaiis, aridis, convo- 
lutis vestito. Spicule 4 breves, distantes, axi appresse. lores in dentibus racheos inserti, bractea solitaria suffulti, parvis 
luteo-virides, non resupinati, cuneiformes, v. circumscriptione quasi triangulari. Lacinie@ conniventes: exteriores crass, car- 
Nose#, inferiore ovata, distincta, lateralibus latis, ovatis, latere superiore valdé gibboso, cum stipite labelli connate eique ap- 
presse ; interiores tenuiores, pallidiores, lineares, uninerves, apice pauld dilatate, exterioribus breviores, columnam utringue 
adstantes ; dabellum cum columne processu articulatum, eique incumbens, 3-lobum, disco furfuraceum, lobis lateralibus parvis, 
rigidis, dentiformibus, intermedio majore apice recurvo, rotundato, inciso. Columna subquadrata, angulis rotundatis, quam la- 
ciniz interiores 1-3 brevior, basi in rostro dimidia longitudine laciniarum exteriorum lateralium producta, utrinque apice anticé 
gibbosa, dorsi margine integro. Gynizus concavus, transversus, apiculatus. Anthera terminalis, operculiformis, quoad axin- 
column horizontalis, pauld ultra stigmatis apiculum protensa, intra marginem posticum columne inserta ; ovata, 2-locularis, 
persistens, loculis seepissimé vacuis, raré feetis ; tum masse pollinis due, solitarie, lutew, carnose, semper imperfect, presertim 
ad apicem stigmati proximum. 
For this rare parasitical plant we are obliged to Messrs. Loddiges, who have already given a figure of it in their 
Botanical Cabinet. It is a native of the West India Islands. | | 
The anthers of the specimen we examined were mostly in an empty state ; and in those which had produced their 
pollen masses there seemed to be an unnatural formation; for we could not succeed in detecting a single pollen mass 
which did not bear the appearance of having been injured. In some instances, however, the mass seemed to fill up 
the cell of the anther. It is therefore not unlikely that the number of pollen masses is always two, instead of four as 
in other Dendrobia ; in which case it may be necessary to divide this plant from the genus; a measure which its 
peculiar habit strongly recommends. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. 
1. An entire flower. 2. The same seen in front. 3. The flower when its outer segments are cut away, showing the internal 
lacinie, and the manner in which the labellum, which is forcibly turned back, is united with the process of the columna. 4. The 
same with the labellum in its natural position. 5. The labellum, showing the furfuraceous disk.- 6.'The column seen in front. 
7. A portion of the same showing the gynizus. 8. Back view of the same portion of the column. 9. Ananther. 10. A pollen 
mass. 
