EPIDENDRUM vitellinum. 

 Yolk-of-egg Mpidendrum. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. 

 Nat. ord. OrchidacejE, § Epidendre^. 

 EPIDENDRUM. L. 



Sect. Encyclia. Pseudobulhosa, labello sublibero. 



E. vitellinwn ; pseudobulbis ovatis acumiaatis diphyllis, foliis oblougo-ligu- 

 latis acutis basi vaginantibus racemo terminali erecto multifloro brevio- 

 ribus, sepalis petalisque ovato-lanceolatis acutis subsequalibus patulis, 

 labello lineari apice angustato abrupt^ acuto basi calloso et bifoveato 

 semilibero. 



E. viteUimim. Genera cj* Species Orch. page 97. 



A dried Mexican specimen in Mr. Lambert's herbarium 

 conveyed the first knowledge of the existence of this beau- 

 tiful plant, and for many years no additional information 

 concerning it was received. It was afterwards found without 

 a locality among Karwinski's dried plants in the Munich 

 museum, and in September, 1839, the specimen now figured 

 produced its flowers in Mr. Barker's collection at Birming- 

 ham. Neither this, however, nor any of the dried materials, 

 conveyed a true idea of the natural appearance of this species 

 when in health and flowering under favourable circumstances. 



It was not till specimens, collected on the Cumbre of 

 Tetontepeque in Mexico, at the elevation of 9000 feet above 

 the sea, were received from Mr. Hartweg, that I had any 

 conception of the superb appearance of the plant. One of 

 them now before me has a spike covered with fifteen large 

 orangccoloured flowers, all expanded at once, over a space of 

 more than six inches in length, and forming a most conspi- 

 cuous object. The flowers are fully thrice as large as those 

 now represented. 



To the roots of this specimen are sticking fragments of a 

 Jungermannia and a foliaceous Lichen, so that no doubt can 

 June, 1840. n 



