250 ORCHIDES. 



BOLBOPHYLLUM 



olabastro cornuto pubescente, sepalo supremo lineari lateralibus ovali- 

 bus brevioribus, petalis filiformibus hirsutis , labelloovato basi pectinato. 

 Sierra Leone (171) Lodd. — It approaches closely to tlie Mauriiius B. occultum, and 

 wiih it and some olhers form an analogy with Megaclinium. The flower stem is a 

 loot high, stout and neariy erect ; the Jlowers are deep dull purple. Like many others 

 of the genus , tiie spiral vessels are extremely strong , and tough in ihe sepals and 

 which is very remarkable, they are of a rich purple colour. I am not at present 

 acquainted wiih any similar case, for in general the spiral thread of the tracheae is 

 peculiarly colourless and silvery. 



bb. Flores a bracteis liberi. 

 a. Columna utrinque bidentata. 

 Huc descriptio genetica Lindleyi Folia L 1. Oct. 1832: 



DIDACTYLE. 



Sepala coriacea, subaequalia: lateralibus basi obliquis nunc connatis. 



Pefala nana, libera. Labellum cum basi producta coluranae articulatum. 



3-lobum, per axin in jugum carnosum sulcatum vulviforme elevatum. 



Columna libera, semiteres, apice in cirrhos 2 (slaminodia) extensa, basi 



in pedem producta, infra apicem digitis duobus marginalibus aucta. 



Pollinia 4, ceracea, libera: duobus interioribus minutis. Anthera saepius 



rostrata. Herbae epiphytae, Americae tropicae, pseudobulbosae. Folia 



coriacea. Scapi radicales, apice lantum spicali; bracteis herbaceis. 



Among ihe numerous forms which have been referred to Bolbophyllum , this seems 



especially to demand separaiion as a peculiar genus , on account of its somewhat 



peculiar habit, and very singular column and lip. The column , in addition to the 



two cirrhi essejitial to Doibophyllum, has two oihers a little lower down , and pro- 



jecting towards the lip like a pair of flngers. The lip has a large fleshy ridge run- 



ning along ils middle. and in the species I have examined , sljt from end to end : 



that i.s to say , the two customary lateral laraellae are united in front, and are so 



deep as to produce this appearance. 



2-1. BOLBOPHYLLUM EXALTATUM Lindl. Ann. Nat. Hist. Huc : Didactyle exaltala 



Lindl. I. c. 



D. pseudobulbo tetragono lolio oblongo obtusopaulo breviore, scapo 

 vaginato slriclo longissimo (pedaU et ultra), vaginis oblusis siipremis 

 laxioribus, spica multiflora, bracteis ovatis concavis acutis herbaceis, 

 sepalis ovatis acuminatis, petahs oblongis ciliatis , labello obovato obtuso 

 pubescenle, columnae dentibus supremis cirrhosis digilis brevibus in- 

 curvis, anlhera mucronata. 



Bolbophyllum exaltatum Lindley , in Ann. Nat. Hist. , voL X. p. 186. 

 Wild in Guayana — Schomburgk , (v. s. sp.). — The leaf of ihis remarkable plant is 

 not much more than an inch loiig, while ihe scape is mere ihan a foot high. The 

 Dowers are purple , and half concealed by ihe large permanent bracts. 



25. BOLBOPHYLLUM ANTpNNIFICKUM Rchb. fll. Huc : Diiuclyle antennifeva Lindl. 1. c. 



D. pseudobulbo tetraptero, foho oblongo plano coriaceo apice recurvo 

 scapo triplo breviore, spica densa nutante, bracteis oblongis obtusis 

 ovario longioribus, sepalis acuminatis, petalis ovato-oblongis ciliatis, 

 labello oblongo basi ciliato auriculis 2 membranaceis apice rotundato 

 dentato, columnae dentibus supremis longissimis porrectis digitis 

 subulatis. 



Wild in Brazil; Minas Geiiies — Widgren , 764, iv. s. sp. comm. cel. Rcfab. fil.). — 

 Hesembles D. exallaia , bul ihe lip is smooih except ai ihe base, a?id its end is 



