section, a most remarkable thing, the first instance in the 
genus. Inside they are greenish. The petals are broader, 
short apiculate, yellowish, with purple longitudinal lines. 
Lip probably whitish or yellowish, with dark purple ra- 
diating streaks, quadrilobed, with distinet stalks. Column 
trigonous, three-toothed at the apex, most probably 
whitish; an arborescent yellow blotch in front over the 
base. I confess that I did not see the anther, and that 
the curious flower had suffered from heat when it came, 
so that some of the indications about colour are rather 
undecided. Thus [ felt rather doubtful. Mr. B.S. Wil- 
liams was, however, so very kind as to send me the whole 
plant; and seeing all the details of roots and stems and 
leaves so much like those of Ponera striata, I have not 
the least hesitation to declare the curious plant a new 
Ponera.”” 
Reichenbach did not give the native country of this 
horticultural plant. 
It is quite possible that Reichenbach had in hand a 
plant of 7rza when he described this species. The plant 
was grown by Mr. Williams who apparently did not know 
where it was originally collected. Although the flowers 
of some species of Ponera and Fria superficially resem- 
ble one another, we do not know of any species of Ponera 
whose flowers have sepals and ovary covered with stiff 
hairs or whose lip is distinctly 4-lobed. It is also true that 
some of the species of Ponera are vegetatively similar to 
some of the species of ria in the Trichotosia section. It 
is regrettable that Reichenbach did not see the anther, a 
critical character, because /ria has eight pollinia while 
Ponera has only four. 
Ponera pleurostachys Linden & Reichenbach filius 
in Bonpl. 2 (1854) 282. 
Without the type or authentic material of this species, 
[ 150 ] 
