BLETiA ORCHIDES. 427 



28. BLETIA ELEGAiNS. Huc: Callleya elegans Morr. Ann. Gand. Ib5, — Ilook. B. Mag 

 4700: 



Pseudobulbis teretibus, cauliformibus elongalis (clavatis). foba soli- 

 taria (v. folia gemina) lineari oblonga coriacea gerentilDus , sepalis 

 oblongis acutis, petalis ianceoJatis acutis , labelJi trilobi lobis lateralibus 

 elongatis obtiisis corumnam involventibus , intermetlio apice latissimo 

 transverso subunguiculato vix emarginato undulato crispato basi lae- 

 viusculo (venis callisque deficientibus). 



Lindl. in Paxt. Fl, G. I. p. 6. St. Cailierines , Brazil. Flowfcrs large , rose colour 

 wilti a deep purple violet iip. Very like Gatt. superba, excepl in colours, but llie leaves 

 are represented as being inuch narrower, and ihe lip is said not lo have eithcr 

 wrinkled veins or callosities. Unknown to me except from Prof. Morren's figurc 

 made from a Belgian specimen in the possession of M. Alexandcr Vershaffelt. 



Lindl. Gard. Chronicle 1852. Very rare. Flowered just with Mrs. Lawrence. Ii 

 has iong slender clavate terete stems , each -bearing one very long obluse leaf. The 

 llowers grow in pairs or perhaps in greatea number , from wiihin a green spathe, 

 whicb in B. M. is represented as long as the peduncle, but in ihe specimen before 

 us, it is scarcely more than rudimentary. Sepals and petals of clair vivid uniform 

 rose colour with expansion of about 5 inches: latter being aboul twice as broad as 

 ihe former. Lip is cucullate , regularly Slobed , with some elevated lines along ihe 

 iniddle; its«convolute part is almost colourless; the cnds of lat. lobes, which are very 

 much roundcd and deeply separaied from the middle one, hnve a broad rich crimson 

 stain wilhin the edges. The middle lobe is somewhat cordate , wiih a wedgesha- 

 ped base, wavy, broader than long, exactly as is the lower fig. in B. M. Blossoms, 

 have an agreeable odour. St. Catherine. We must add, that this loo is a Laelia, 

 if ihe mere numher of pollenmasses deflnitively separate the genera Cattleya aud 

 Laelia. Polles-masses athough 8, are of unequal size in this species!, but 4 are 

 quite small and lodged in very shallow sockets in front of anther. Pescatorea tah. 23. 

 Laelia elegans Rchb. fll. in Otto u. Dietrich Allg. Ztg. 1855. p. 242. 



29. BLETIA ACUMINATA. Huc: Laelia acuminata Lindl. B. Reg. 1841. XXVIH. Misc. 42; 

 Pseudobulbis ovatis compressis, rugosis, scapo erecto, foliis solita- 



riis emarginatis brevioribus, floribus corymbosis , bracteis linearibus 

 acuminatis ovario duplo brevioribus, sepalis linearibus petalisque lanceo- 

 latis undulatis acuminatis, labelli lobis lateraiibus rotundalis, inlermedio 

 lanceolatu undulato acuminato. 



Guatemair, Ilartweg. Very near L. rubescens , from which it differs in the scapu 

 being two llowered, not racemose, in ihe sepals being acuminate, and ihe flowcrs at 

 least twice as large. It is a pretty species, with pale blush flowers. What seems to 

 be a variety , from Costarica no. 620 has produced a pair of pale violet blossoms 

 wiih Msrs. Loddiges. 



B. Reg. XXVH. 1841. 24, ft forms a fine corymbe of 8 flowers. — Decb. iu Gua- 

 temala. Ilartwcg. From L. rubescens its nearest ally it difl^ers in its large, wrinkled 

 pseudobulbs, larger and more corymbose Uowers and the different form of ihe label- 

 lum. — Perigonium albido rospura , labelli lobo medio flavo striato, labelli fundo kcr- 

 me^ino. — Lindl. in Bentli. Plant. Hartvvcg. 2. p. 93. Retatule in Crescenlia Cu- 

 jeie. Vernaculc „FIor de Jesus" dicta. Mexico. Ilartweg. 



b. Labellum carinatum. 



§. Labelli lobi postici laterales. 



cj^ Unillorae seu spicatae. 



30. BLETIA AUTUMNALIS. La Llave nnd Lexarz a Nov. Veg. Descr. H. 19. LaeUa 

 autumnalis Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orch. 115. Batem. Orch. Mexic. et Guat. l. 9. ,,Flor 

 de los Santos." Lindl. B. Reg. 39. t. 27. Hook. B. Mag. 42. ib. 3847. 



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