m 



plioracea} will prove most nearly related to Napoleona, the 

 affinity of the oenus to some Myrtaeese, is not to be overlooked ; 

 as, for example, to Verticordias, in which there is the same 

 tendency to a multiplication of the series of the corolla, to 

 Careyas, whose fruit has a very similar structure, and to 

 Barringtonias to which Napoleona is very similar in foliage; 

 but these affinities are less striking than that of the Mangrove 

 tribe. They shew, however, pretty clearly that Belvisiaceaj, 

 for so it is most convenient to call the order of which Napo- 

 leona is the most conspicuous member, belongs to the great 

 Myrtal alliance. 



82. The Section of EPIDENDRUM named 

 Spathium. 



This is one of the divisions of Epidendrum proposed in 

 Hooker s Journal of Botany, vol. 3. p, 81, and is distinguished 

 by its stem being slender leafy and erect, its flowers placed 

 on a long peduncle, which proceeds from a spathe consisting 

 of one or more equitant bracts, and by its labellum being 

 wholly attached to the corolla. It differs from § Aulizeum 

 in its stem being covered with leaves and not pseudobulbous, 

 with two or three leaves at the end only. It is also very 

 near § Amphiglottium, from which it is distinguished by the 

 branches not being excessively lengthened and covered vvith 

 close pressed scales below the flowers. In their stead there 

 is usually a long sheathing spathe, like that of Cattleya, out 

 of which the inflorescence proceeds : occasionally there are 

 several of such spathes. E. (Amphiglottium) cornutum is 

 one of the connecting links between the two sections. 



§ SPATHIUM. 

 Spathium, Lindl. in Hooker's Journal of Botany, 3. 81. (1841). 



* Lip undivided^ 



\ , E. grandifioriim (Lindl. in Hook. Journ. 3. 86) ; foliis 

 distichis ensiformibus obtusis, racemo denso terminali 

 basi flexuoso e spatha duplici orto, sepalo dorsali ovali 

 lateralibus duplo latioribus dimidiatis, petalis linearibus, 

 labello subrotundo cordate emarginato margine postico 



crispo venis baseos 2 elevatis. Peru. A plant with 



the inflorescence of E. variegatum. Flowers coriaceous. 



