the mid-lobe and the lateral lobes, in the degree and 
direction (antrorse or retrorse) of divergence and in other 
respects. ‘Taken as a whole these variations are not cor- 
related with other characters and should be regarded as 
individual rather than as specific or varietal differences. 
Likewise the shape of the leaf, the habit of the plant and 
the simple or compound character (racemose or panicu- 
late) of the inflorescence do not constitute valid char- 
acters for the recognition of more than one species. 
The species and varieties usually considered distinct, 
but which we believe comprise a polymorphic species,are 
briefly characterized as follows: 
Epidendrum densiflorum Hook. The type collection 
was made in Mexico by Parkinson. The plate in Curtis's 
Botanical Magazine shows rather broad ellipticleaves and 
a dense panicle of greenish flowers slightly tinged with 
brownish purple. The sepals are reflexed and elliptic- 
oblanceolate; the petals are slightly shorterthan the sepals 
and narrowly spatulate; the lip is 8-lobed. The lateral 
lobes of the lip are shortly dolabriform and the mid-lobe 
is transverse, composed of two triangular divaricate lo- 
bules (separated from the lateral lobes by a narrow slit), 
with its apex retuse. The spread of the lobules of the mid- 
lobe from tip to tip is less than that of the lateral lobes. 
Epidendrum rubrocinctum Lindl. was. described 
from a plant sent to Lindley by Bateman from the garden 
of Mr. Brocklehurst. It is described as having an ample 
nodding panicle and is usually considered to be the same 
form as 17. densiflorum. 
E’ipidendrum laeve Vind. Discovered by Hartweg 
at Pasto, Popayan, Colombia. A form with lanceolate 
leaves and simple many-flowered panicle. The lip was de- 
scribed as 4-lobed, the posterior lobes cuneate-rotundate, 
the anterior lobes linear and divaricate. Said to be allied 
to H.paniculatum. 
[61 | 
