II 



* CIRRHOPETALUM Thouarsil 



Insular Cirrhopetalum* 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. 



Nat. ord. OrchidacEjE, § MalaxidejE. 



CIRRHOPETALUM, Lindl. Sepala ringentia; lateralia acuminata, 

 longissima, valde obliqua, basi product* columnse adnata, supremo multo lon- 

 giora. Petala nana apiculata. Labellum integrum, cum basi columna? articu- 

 latum. Columna minima, basi longe producta, apice bicornis. Anthera bilo- 



cularis. Pollinia 4, quorum duo interiora multo minora, per paria connata. 



Herba? epiphytse, rhizomate repente, pseudobulbos monophyllos gerente. Folia 

 coriacea, avenia. Flores dens& racemosi, nunc radiati, in apice scapi radicalis. 

 Gen. Sf sp. orch. p. 58, quibusdam mutatis. 



C. Thouarsii ; petalis ciliatis sepaloque supremo aristatis, f'oliis oblongis obtusis 

 emarginatis scapo brevioribus. Lindl. I. c. cum. synonymis. 



This very curious plant is one of the most extensively 

 diffused of all epiphytal Orchidacese. I have specimens 

 gathered in the Society Islands by Mr. Mathews, Reinwardt 

 found it in Java, Thouars in the isles of France and Madagas- 

 car, and Mr. dimming has lately sent it from Manilla to 

 Messrs. Loddiges, with whom it flowered last July. 



Nothing can be more singular than the long strap-shaped 

 sepals growing from one side of the flowers, and almost 

 bearing them down with their weight ; they offer a singular 

 instance of the unequal force with which the phenomena of 

 developement are exerted in one and the same flower. The 

 petals, represented at fig. 1. of the magnified dissections, are 

 very small, yellow, spotted finely with red, bordered by 

 bristle pointed teeth, and terminated in a long awl-shaped 

 point. 



* From KippoQ tawny, and TreraXov, in allusion to the prevailing colour of 

 the flowers. 



