319 



and beyond are three claret dots, the erect lateral being just under 

 the two crests of the lip; the lateral lobes are liver coloured on both 

 sides with a white border and a patch of claret coloured hair inside 

 the fold at the base. 



The column has lines of pale claret below and is a deep dull 

 maroon above with the stigma greenish wliite, the anther wall pale 

 claret and the side lobes tipped as if with grey wax. 



The surface of the column foot over the nectary, directed to the 

 inside of the flower, is white: at the head of its cavity is an orange 

 coloured nectary of considerable size which secretes abundant honey. 



Every bract, bi.^'ore the flowers are mature, has a nectary at the 

 centre' outside which secretes a tiny drop of clear honey. When 

 the buds are young the apex of the axis bearing them bends up 

 straightening itself as tl.ey approach maturity. 



Five species of Thecostele are known, occurring from Burma to 

 Borneo and Java : and the road to their honey is so crooked that it 

 would be most interesting to ascertain what insects visit the flowers. 



Microstylis congesta, Rcichb. f. 



Among the orchids brought back by Mr. J. C. Moulton from 

 the slopes of mount Kinabalu, were living specimens of Microstylis 

 congesta, from which the following notes have been made: for even 

 thought the orchid is well known in herbaria, a description from life 

 of the flowers is worth giving. 



Of the several plants of the orchid sent to the Botanic Gardens 

 the largest bore seven full sized bright green leaves. 



Before opening the buds ascend very slightly from the horizontal; 

 but when the flower has opened the ovary curves slightly so that the 

 flower faces a little down from the horizontal. During flowering the 

 ovary straightens itself again, and after flowering it ascends so as to 

 lie as close to the axis as possible. The bracts are lanceolate, very 

 acuminate, and become strongly reflexed early, remaining so; they 

 are pale green. 



The sepals are green with a tinge of purple which increases 

 through flowering. The lateral sepals curve round from behind the 

 labellum towards one another but do not meet by about 1^2 mm.; 

 they are 4H mm. long and when flattened 2 mm. broad ; but owing 

 to the way in which they are folded back along their midrib their 

 edges are not more than iVz mm. apart. The dorsal sepal (the sepal 

 which would be dorsal if the ovary were twisted) is longer and 

 narrower that the lateral sepals; it is curved forwards so that its 

 point comes to the front of the flower just under and almost from 

 between tips of the lateral sepals; length S mm, breadth lYz mm.: 

 These three sepals make a landing stage for visiting insects. 



