208 ORCHIDES. 



MALAXIS. 



inlegrum, niinc basi pulvinatum aut carinatum, ^aepius concavum. Co- 

 lumna nana, feres, basi angustior, clinandrii angulis anticis aculis. An- 

 theia 1-locularis. Pollinia 4, cerea, lihera, incnmbenlia, nunc obliqua 

 et inaeqnalia. — Herbae epiphylae. Folia equilanlia. Spicae (v. Racemi) 

 terminales. Flores minuti. Omnes Aslaticae, Auslialasicae. Polyiiesicae 

 V. Mascarenenses. 



The species now collecteil inio this curious getuis are for the most part inh.ihitants 

 of ihe tropics of Asia, lioih continental and insuiar. One is found in ihe Mauritius 

 and Bourhon . one in Eastern Ausiralia, and flve in the South Sea Islands. None 

 have as yel been brought from Africa. 



They divide readly into siemless and caulescent species; and although some are 

 as it were intermediate . as in § 2 * * *, yet there is no practical dilficuliy in recog- 

 nisiiig to which seclion a species belongs. 



§. 1. ACAULES Lindl. Folia VIII.: caule nano vel parum evoluto, foliis 

 omnibus fere radicalibus, 



* Labello indiviso vel obsoletc lobato. 



1. MALAXIS IRIDIFOLIA. Hucl. c: Oberonia iridifolia (L. 0.15: Cymbidium iridi- 

 folium . Roxb. Fl. Ind. 3, 45':'); bracteis petalisq. ovatis serratis , labello multifldo 

 varie lobato . foliis longissimis ensiformibus. 



A. labello basi pectinato apice bilobo muilifldo. Sylhet , Roxb. h. s. sp. 



B. labeilo basi pectinato apice bilobo obtuso denticulato. Ub; Wallich sine numero, 

 h. s. sp. 



C. laliello ovato emarginalo alte serrato. Burma , Grifflih. h. s. sp. 



Peduncle iwo edged. Spike very long and slender. Flowers yeliow. Evidently a 

 variahle plant, and probably appearing under olher forms ihan those above mentioned. 

 0. iridiCoIia of Grilfith is probably 0. Brunoniana, iNr. fi; of the llot. Mag. is 0. 

 tahitensis , Nr. 4. 



2. MALAXIS CYLLNDRICA. Huc I. c. : [Oberonia cylindrica (Lindl. in Bot. Register, 

 1840, misc. 23); bracteis serrnlatis , lloribus inlus pilosis, petalis serratis, labello 

 oblongo basi laliore emarginalo margine fimbrialo — Philippines, Cuming (Island of 

 Bohol) h. s. sp. and v. v. c. — Leaves 6—7". Spikes siout . much longer. Peduncle 

 compressed , winged only near Ihe base. Flowers very small , and compact , green. 



3. MALAXIS GRIFFITHIANA. Huc I. c. : Oberonia Griltilhiana (Lmdl. Sert. Orch. 

 t. 8 B.); bracieis lineari-lanceoialis denticulatis , pelalis obiusis flmbriatis papillosis, 

 sepalis acuiis loiigioribus, labello muliiGdo papilloso in iaminam bipaniiam produclo 

 — Moulmein, GrilQih (common on Irees in damp places), h. s. sp. — A small species 

 wiih narrow sabre-.shaped bhint ihin leaves sborter than the spikes, which are covered 

 to the base wiih scatiered flowers. Sepals pale green. Pelals and iip dull purplisb 

 brown. This has slight tendency to becoming cauiescent. 



4. MALAXIS TAHITE.NSIS, Hnc I. c. : Oberonia tahitensis (0. iridifolia Bot. Mag. 4517); 

 bracieis duplicaio - serratis , sepaiis dorso verrucosis , peialis iinearihus integerrimis, 

 labello oblongo apice bilobo iiitegro laciniis laiis subfalcatis basin versus rolundato 

 denliculalo — Otaheite , Kidwill — Leaves 5—6", broad , ihick. Spikes not much 

 loiiger, slilT, wilh two-edged peduncles , closely covered wiih brownish yi-llow flowers. 

 Diffcrs fioiii 0. iridilolia in its petals as well the olher niarks above iiidicaied. — Huc; 

 Oberonia iriihfolia Leniaire Jardin fl, II. 113. 



5. MALAXIS DEiNTlCULATA. Huc I. c. : Oberonia Aenliculala (VVight. ic. 1625); bracieis 

 dentatis, petalis ovatis aculis inicgerrimis , labfllo Iriaiigul.iri dentato nnnc apicc 

 produclo bis bideiiiaio — Southern Hintlu.stan , Wight (lyamally Hills , near Coimbatore, 

 fl. Jul. Aug.) — I have nol seen this. — Leaves short , hroad , ihick. Spikes much 

 longer, drooping, very dense. Flowers „dull oraiige". Peduncles completely 2-edged, 

 Varies much in size according to Wight. Huc etiam : 



