Cutileiane. Pa b. 3. 
CYPRIPEDIUM INSIGNKE. 
Nar. Orv. Cypripedee, Nob. Linn. Syst. Gynandria Diandria. 
CYPRIPEDIUM, Z. Labellum ventricosum inflatum (nunc saccatum). Columna posticé terminata lobo petaloideo 
(stamine sterili) antheras distinguente. Petala duo antica sepits connata. Br. in Hort. Kew. 
Cypripedium acaule, foliis cartilagineis ligulatis scapo piloso dimidio brevioribus, perianthii lacinia superiore fornicata 
emarginata: lateralibus obovatis subundulatis obtusis exttis pubescentibus ; inferiore labello venoso basi inflexo 
pauld longiore. : 
Cypripedium insigne. /Vallich MSS. 
Descr. Radices fibrose, pilose, fasciculate. Folia radicalia, disticha, ligulata, cartilaginea, subenervia, scapo dimidio bre- 
viora. Scapus uniflorus, rectus, teres, pilosus, atropurpureus. Spatha anceps, faleata, semifissa, paulo plicata, apice emargi- 
nata, viridis, glabra, basi purpureo maculata. Ovariwm purpureum, pilosum, sulcatum, sessile, rectum, costa dorsali maxima, 
incurvum, spathe rudimento anticé supposito. Perianthium tetraphyllum, patens : laciniarum exteriorum superiore laté obovata, 
fornicata, nervosa, viridi, intis glabra, purpureo maculata ; apice albé cymbiformi, emarginata ; inferiore concavé, ovata, la- 
bello longiore eique supposita, pallidé viridi, intus ad nervos baseos parce purpureo maculata ; interioribus extts pubescentibus, 
intis glabris, horizontalibus, obovato-lanceolatis, undulatis, nervosis, purpurascentibus, basi pilis purpureis hirsutis. Labellm 
dependens, calceiforme, viridescens, rotundatum, apicem versus purpurascens, extis glabrum, intis pilis purpureis obsitum, me- 
dio cordatum, marginibus luteis inflexis. Colwmma directione labelli, lutea, purpureo-pilosa : anthera sterilis maxima, scutata, 
cuneata, dorso unicallosa, anticé per axin cristata, superficie foveolata, super gynizum et antheras fertiles incumbens ; anthera 
Jertiles ad basin interiorem sterilis site, biloculares : loculis subparallelis, apice confluentibus ; filamenta obesa, pilosa. Pollen 
udum, tenax, velut mel semi-coagulatum, ¢ granulis parvis, sphericis, distinctis, et materie viscidd compositum. Gynizus inter 
antheras pedicellatus, porrectus, rhomboideus, glaber, nervo basin versus furcato. 
We received this very beautiful species of Cypripedium in November last from Mr. Cattley, to whom it had been 
transmitted in flower from the Botanic Garden, Liverpool, by Mr. Shepherd, the worthy curator of that institution. 
It is obviously a near relative of Cypripediwmn venustum, and is said to be a native of the same country as that 
plant. It was sent by Dr. Wallich to England with the name we have assigned it, and probably has never flowered 
before in Europe. 
We remember formerly to have seen specimens, very similar to this, of a plant which had been brought from Java 
by Dr. Horsfield. Possibly it may provea distinct species ; thus adding a third at least to the curious section of Cypri- 
pedium, of which the present subject forms a part ; a section which, as far as we have been able to discover, possesses no 
artificial character in the fructification by which it can be pronounced a distinct genus, but which nevertheless is so 
different from that which includes the species natives of more temperate latitudes, that we find ourselves almost com- 
pelled to question the universal application of the principle which excludes habit and foliage from the essential parts of 
generic distinctions. In the present instance we have three plants, probably all very different from each other as species, 
natives of the same quarter of the globe, with a considerable general similarity in appearance, necessarily, from the ab- 
sence of certain technical differences assumed to be essential to the goodness of a genus, crowded among others with 
which the most careless observer would not only not be likely to confound them, but from which he would readily and 
immediately distinguish them. We confess this is one of those difficulties we do not at present feel competent to solve. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. 
l. A section of the Labellum. 2. The column seen in front. 3. The same viewed laterally. 4, 5. The anther seen in dif- 
ferent directions. 
