53 



* EPIDENDRUM SchomburgkiT. 

 Mr. Sckomburgk's JEpide?idrum. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. 



Nat. ord. OrchidacevE, § EpidendrejE. 

 EPIDENDRUM. But. Reg. vol. l.fol. 17. 



E. Schomburgkii ; foliis distichis oblongis obtusis margine sanguineo-punctatis, 

 caule simplici apice aphyllo, sepalis petalisque lineari-lanceolatis acutis 

 aequalibus patentissimis, columna clavata elongata, labelli trilobi basi bical- 

 losi linea mediana elevata, lobis lateralibus Tatis rotundatis laceris ; inter- 

 medio cuneato apice triangular! crispo utrinque acuminato. Supra no. 16. 



The first knowledge I obtained of this beautiful species 

 was through a drawing and a few dried flowers sent home 

 by Mr. Schomburgk, who met with it during his second 

 expedition into the interior of British Guayana. Since that 

 time it has blossomed with Messrs. Loddiges, and forms one 

 of the most striking of the " elongated " division of the 

 large genus Epidendrum. 



In a work like this the brilliant vermilion red of the 

 flowers cannot be imitated ; they are of the deep rich tint 

 that is found in Silene laciniata, Lychnis Bungeana, and 

 plants of that kind. 



In his drawing Mr. Schomburgk makes the leaves deeply 

 and distinctly marked with blood-red dots all round the 

 margin. In "the cultivated plant this did not make its ap- 

 pearance ; nevertheless I leave that character unaltered, 

 because it is possible that the spots may hereafter be deve- 

 loped. 



* See Bot. Rec. fob 1415. 



