34 



CATASETUM Trulla. 



The Trowel-shaped Feeler-wort. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA, 



Nat. ord. Orchidaceje, § Vande.,e. 

 CATASETUM. Richard. 



C. Trulla; sepalis petalisque patentibus ovalibus planis, labello late ovato 

 acumiuato obtuso subcordato concavo fimbriato apice laevi, colunina brevi 

 cirrhata. Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 1840. misc. no. 176. 



No doubt a native of some of the tropical parts of Ame- 

 rica, but I have been unable to learn from what country it 

 was received. I am only acquainted with it indeed from a 

 single specimen brought to me in September 1840, by Mr. 

 James Rigby, of the Stanhope Nursery, Old Brompton. It 

 had the general appearance of Catasetum maculatum, and 

 bore thirty such flowers as are here represented. They had 

 a most singular appearance, but it must be confessed not a 

 beautiful one ; none of the colours being at all lively. The 

 lip has much the form of a trowel, and is not at all hollowed 

 out into a bag. It is merely concave like the bowl of a spoon. 



All the species of Catasetum require nearly the same cul- 

 tivation. They must have a moist stove to grow in, should 

 be kept nearly dry during their season of rest, and should 

 have plenty of water when growing. When the young shoots 

 begin to grow, they are very apt to be injured by water lodging 

 about them, and care must be taken to prevent this. 



As there is some confusion among the names of the various 

 species of this genus, the following catalogue of all that I at 

 present know may be acceptable to the readers of the Botani- 

 cal Register. 



June, 1841. n 



