BRACHTIA. ORCHIDES. M 



Rchb. fll. Xen. I. p. 114: 



Genijs Mesospinidio quodammodo affine, nec Brassiae admodum 

 alienuin labello basi gulturoso , sepalis ialeralibus basi connatis saccatis 

 supposilis, gjnoslemii processu rostellari canaliformi, polliniis pyrifor- 

 mibus cavis poslice fissis in caudicula curvata, 



Perigonium carnosum clausum. Sepala subaequalia , lanceolata, carinata, lateralia 

 basi connaia. gibberem efformantia. Tepala subaequalia. lamen exlus non carinata et 

 latiora. Labellnm a basi angusiiori ovalum apiculaium . carnosum , basi saccaium, 

 disco callosum; ante basin utrinque gynoslemio accreium. Gynostemium crassum 

 utrinque raembranaceum raarginatum. Androclinium ascendens, bicameratura. Ros- 

 lellum utrinque retusum ; medio lamina canaliculata, vexillo quasi, auctum pro cau- 

 dicula recipienda. Antbera dorso carinato cristaia ovata apice apiculaia. Pollinia py- 

 riformia, cava, poslice flssa, sessilia in caudicula curvula oblongo-quadraia , seu cor- 

 data, basi glandulam triangulam seu oblongam gerente. Fovea subquadrata trans- 

 versa, basi limbo prominulo angulato cincta. 



1. BRACHTIA GLUMACEA. Rchb. fll. Linn. I. c. Walp. I. c. Rchb. fll. Bonpl. II. 14: 

 Humilis , pseudobulbis ancipitibus oblongis monophyllis, foliis oblongis apice ob- 

 tuso inaequalibus vernixiis, 4—5 pollices longis , foliis stipantibus inferioribus sqna- 

 inaeformibus , superioribus illis subaequalibus, pedunculo infrabulbi 4—6 pollicari, ex 

 folio siipante axillari, erecto, foliis breviore nunc aequali, longiori , paucifloro, medio 

 univaginato , apice flexuoso spicato , bracteis ovaiis acutis scariosis glumaceis flores 

 subaequantibus, labello apice obtuso. Die roihlichgelben Bliithen Jm getrockneten 

 Zustand halb so gross als die eines lebenden Scelochilus Ottonis. Die Tepala dop- 

 pell so breit als Sepala. Merida. {Oncodia glumacea Lindl. Fol.). W^gener. 



fluc: Oncodia Lindl. Fol. \. Part. IV. April 1853: 



Sepala erecla, costata, herbacea : iateralibus paulo obiiquis, ovarii 

 menlo adnatis. Pelala membranacea, latiora. Labellum membranaceum, 

 indivisum, erectum, cum cavitate carnosa in ovarii apice menliformi 

 continuum, basi ioveatum et bilamellalum. Columna brevis, erecta, 

 aplera; margine membranaceo versus basin latiore. Ovarium ad co- 

 lumnae labellique junctionem in cavitatem carnosam mentiformem (cu- 

 niculum) dilatatum. Pollinia 2, ovaiia, solida ; caudicula lata iineari ; 

 giandula oblonga. Anthera apiculo recurvo. Herba epiphyta, Americae 

 Iropicae, pseudobulbosa. Folia coriacea. Racemi ladicaies. Bracteae 

 glumaceae. 



In habit tbis resembles somewhat such plants as Brassia glumacea; but in struc- 

 ture ii is extremely diff"erent. Tbe small flowers, hidden wiihin the bre.cts , have an 

 anterior hollow tumour, like a goitre, arising from the top ^ the ovary , and ans- 

 wering to the cuniculus so common in Epidendrum. On the edge of the cavity of 

 this lumour stand the lip and the pair of lateral sepals , which are widened on one 

 side at ihe base so as to accomodate tbemselves to the forra of the tumour. The 

 column is exactly that of Brassia, to which the genus is nearly related. 



Oncodia glumacea Lindl. Fol. 1. c. 



Wild in Wew-Granada- Funck and Schlim. 1499. 



Pseudobulb narrow, iwo-edged, one-Ieaved. Leaf coriaceous , somewhat sbining, 

 lineor-obiong, obtuse , channelled at tlie base and greatly narrowed. Peduricle erect, 

 aboui as iong a.s tbe leaf, lerete, wiih an adpressed slieath iiear ihe middle, aiid 

 anoiher half way beivveen ii and the spike. The laiier shorl, distichous, imbricaied, 

 with cucullate bluni glunioceous bracts , which are longer ihan the (lowers. The se- 

 pals are nariowly triongular, wiih a shnrp ceniral rib. Peial.s twice as broad , roun- 

 disb obloiig. apiculaie. Lip of ihe same forra as the peials, wiih a pair of deep stout 

 diverging plaies near ibe base. beiween wbich. nexi ibe caviiy or chin, is a smaU.pii 

 cloibed wiib hairs. 



