50 



* LACUNA bicolor 

 Two-coloured Laccena. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDBIA. 

 Nat. ord. Orchidace^. § Vande.« ; Maxillarid.e. 



LACj^NA, Lindl. Perianthium carnosum patens, sepalis subaequa- 

 libus basi subconnatis. Petala conformia minora. Labellum cum columna 

 et in medio articulatum, hypocbilio unguiculato cuneato bilobo apice pulvi- 

 nato, epichilio integro. Columna erecta semiteres. Pollinia 2, postice fissa, 

 caudiculd setacea, glanduld minuta. Herba, Peristeriae habitu. 



L. bicolor, Lindl, in Bot. Register, 1843. misc. 101. 



This fine plant was sent to the Horticultural Society 

 from Guatemala by Mr. Hartvveg, who found it in the moun- 

 tains of Salama, in the province of Vera Paz, also near the 

 village of Sunil, near Quezaltenango, in Guatemala, growing 

 on rocks, at an elevation of about 7000 feet above the sea. 

 In May, 1843, it produced its flowers, and ever since has 

 been in such bad health that it is doubtful if it will survive. 



In habit the species is so like some of the Peristerias 

 with pendulous racemes, that it would certainly be mistaken 

 for them ; and in structure it approaches them no doubt very 

 closely. It is, however, essentially distinguished by the 

 labellum and pollen apparatus. In Peristerias the labellum, 

 although having a moveable joint in the middle, is continuous 

 with the column by a thick fleshy base ; here the articula- 

 tion at that part is very conspicuous. The Peristerias have 

 four pollen-masses ; here we have but two. And, finally, 

 the strap by which the pollen-masses cohere is long and 

 slender, like that of a Lycaste, not deficient, so as to render 



* This was one of the names of Helen, and may be appHed to this plant 

 because of its beauty : but it may also be derived from \aKic, a cleft, in allu- 

 sion to the divisions of its lip. 



