IIESOSPINIDIDM. 



ORCHIDES. 857 



carnoso. Columna nana, membranaceo-marginata; clinandrio marginato. 

 Polllnia 2, oblonga; caiidicula brevi, tenui; glandula minuta. Anlhera 

 subrotunda , ecristata. Herba epiphyta , Americae tropicae , ebulbis, 

 acaulis. Folia pauca, coriacea. Flores parvi, racemosi ; pedunculo ra- 

 dicali. 



This curious little plant must be regarded as an ally of Oncidium nnd Odonto- 

 glossum , from boih which, as well as their allies Brassia and Milionia, it is distin- 

 guished by an extremely slender, delicate caudicle, minute circular gland , and solid 

 pollen-masses. The column too forces down the sessile lip by iis ihia projeciing 

 edges, whicb thus rest upon the lip and parlially surround the calli. 



Abola radiata Lindl. Pol. I. c. : 



Wild in Neu-Granada; in the province of Pamplona, at the height of 9500 feet; 

 Scblim, 111. 



The whole plant about flve inches high. Leaves coriaceous, channelled, sessile. 

 the uppermosi not half the lengih of the raceme and perfect , the next imperfect, the 

 remainder merely cartilaginous scales, from among which rises the scape, consisiing 

 of seven or eight small distant flowers seated on a flexuose rachis, witli short cucul- 

 late striated acute bracts. The sepals seem to be rather coriaceous ; the lateral se- 

 parate only at the point. Petals linear-ovate , acute. Lip circular at the base, then 

 contracted into a linear retuse upper half. Of the triple callus the middle is erect, 

 the sides smaller and projecting. (,,FIowers brown wiih yellow rays. Column and 

 lip white." — Schlim.) 



3. MESOSPINIDIUM AURANTIACUM Rchb. fll. Mss. Ada Lindl. Fol. I. Febr. 1854: 



Perianthium clausum, apice patulum. Sepala subaequalia, acumi- 

 nata; lateralilms basi paulo obliquis. Petala conformia breviora. La- 

 bellum elongatum, indivisum, c. columna paralleliim, eique basi adna- 

 tum; lamellis 2, membranaceis, in appendicem linearem truncalum con- 

 ngli?. Columna aplera, caeterum Oncidii, basi convexum dilataUim el 

 marginatum. Stigma excavatum. Pollinia 2, cereacea, postice sulcata; 

 caudicula brevi, obovala; glandula circulari. Anthera Oncidii, ecristata. 

 Herba epiphyta, Ameiicae tropicae, habilu omnino Brassiae cujusdam 

 glumaceae. Scapus bisquamatus. Spica cylindracea, simplex, bracteis 

 merabranaceis. Flores xanthini. 



This is a remarkable plant, with brilliant orange-coloured flowcrs collected in a 

 close raceme enveloped in ihin cucullaie membranous bracts, and never openint,' ex- 

 cept at their point. The leaf is about six inches long , narrow, and channelled; 

 raiher shorier ihan the scape , whicli bears iwo distant membranous sheaths. 

 Mr. Linden referred it to Brassia; from which. however, it differs in some important 

 particulars: — 1, the laniellac of the lip are conduent and membranous; 2, ihe lip 

 is parallel with tbe column and solidly uniled lo the base of it; 3, the column is 

 twice as long as in other Drassias, and tliin-edged at the base ; 4, ihe caudicle is 

 short and obovaie, while ihe gland is circular. For ihis r<'ason I place it at the end 

 of the glumaceous Brassias. Possibly it may be related to Rcli]).'s genus Rracbtia, 

 a plani of which 1 have no kuowledge. 



▼1. 108 



