438 ORCHIDES. bletu. 



58. BLETIA VENOSA. Huc : Drassavola venosa Lindl. B. Reg. XXVL 1840. Misc. 24. 

 Folio lanceolato semicylindraceo supra canaliculato, sepalis pelalis- 



que linearibus, labelli ungue longe complicato lamina subrotundo-ovata 



subtriloba acuminala basi serrata: venis elevatis. 



Resembles Br. nodosa in liabit , but with rauch larger llowers , the sepais heing 

 more ihan 2" long. The h'p is whiie, other parts greenish. It is at once distinguish- 

 ed from B. nodosa and all allied species by ihe flrmness of the lip , which is more 

 or less evidently iobed at the sides and has ihe veins distinctly elevated. Fiowers 

 deliciously sweet at night. Mss. Loddiges imported it frora Honduras. 

 B. Reg. XXVL' 1840. Tab. 39. 



Folium semipedale, carnosum, lineari oblongum, acutum, atrovjride, 

 canaliculatum, marginibus rotundatis, nec uti in speciebus pluribus in 

 cylindrum convolutum. Scapus folio brevior, spatha nulla couspicua, 

 sed squamis paucis vaginatus , 3 florus, bracteis parvis rigidis acutis- 

 simis. Sepala et petala linearia, acuminata, virentia, 2 pollicaria, inter se 

 aeqnalia. Labelli lamina candida, venis elevatis corrugala, subrolundo- 

 ovata, acuminata, subcarnosa, integra v. obsolete triloba , basi serrala ; 

 unguis lamina parum brevior. convoluta, margine serrata, basi integer- 

 rima et macuiis quibusdam sanguineis notata. 



The leaf is interraediate between thatof Br, glauca and the common terete species; and 

 shows that in the latter the leaf owes its peculiar appearance in part to a general 

 thickening of [its parenchyraa , and in part to the edges turning inwards and 

 growing together. And this is no doubt also the origin of ihe terete leaves found 

 in Vanda, Louisia. and Dendrobium. 



Huc : Brassavola venosa Lindl. B. Mag. 4021. 



Folio lineari lanceolato coriaceo-carnoso superne canaliculato, sepalis 

 pelalisque lineari lanceolalis, labelli ungue eiongato serrato, lamina cor- 

 data acuminata venosa basi subserrata. 



Drassavola venosa Lindl. B. Reg. 40. Misc. 24. t. 39. 

 In the form and serratures of the lip, we fear the species of Brassavola. as is the 

 case wiih so many other Orchideae, are very liable to vary. That this plant is iden- 

 lical with the B. venosa of Dr. Lindley. there is probably little doubt , but the lab. 

 is not so serraied and the lamina less disposed to be ihree-Iobed. It was drawn in 

 July from a plant that flowered in the Royal B. G. of Kew. — Much as it ressembles 

 D. nodosa (B. M. t. 3299) as Dr. Lindley ohserves , it seems to us still more closely 

 allied lo D. cordata (B. Mag. t. 3782.) differing chiefly in the size of ihe flowers and 

 breadlh of ihe leaf. to which Dr. Lindley adds ,,in the flrmness of the lip. which is 

 more or less evidenlly lobed at the side" a variable characier) .. and has the veins 

 distinctly elevated." 



Perigonium viride. labello albo , purpureo extus picio. 

 Lindl. in PI. Hariweg. fasc. 2. p. 93. 1842: Retatulen Mexici. Hariweg! 



Plaiita mihi incogniia: „ Laelia teres Rchb. fll." Regel Gartenflora III. p. 408. 

 Sphalma pro Ceratosiylide tereti ? 



cc. Labellum trifidum seu tripartitum. 



59. BLETIA RIGIDA. Huc: Tetramicra rigida L. 0. 119. Brassavola elegans Hook. B. 

 M. N. Ser. V. 1831. 3098. 



Scapo racemoso, labello amplo basin columnae amplexante profunde 

 trilobo, columna superne lato-alata. 



Cyrtopodium elegans Hamilt. Prodr. Pl. Ind. Occ. p. 53 c. Ic, 



I am indebted to Dr. Nicholson of Antigua for the drawing and descripiion of the 

 present , which appears so be exclusively inhabitanv of ihe Island of Antigua. Il 



