Stems stout, often much branched, entirely concealed 
by loose cylindric leaf-sheaths. Leaves numerous, dis- 
tichous, spreading, oblong-linear, abruptly bilobulate at 
the apex, up to 6 cm. long. Inflorescence terminal, race- 
mose, more or less recurved, several-flowered. Flowers 
‘ampanulate. Dorsal sepal ovate, acute. Lateral sepals 
obliquely ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate. Petals lan- 
ceolate-ovate, acute or acuminate. Lip round-obovate, 
more or less lobed in front, retuse at the apex, commonly 
biauriculate and more or less cuneate at the concave base. 
Column short, curved, with the lateral wings adnate be- 
low to the base of the lip. 
In the original description no hint as to the source of 
the plant is given. The words, ‘‘ Leipzig, in Mauricia- 
num, ’* which are cited, seem to imply that the species 
was described trom a garden specimen. We have a record 
(as stated above) of a dried plant together with floral 
analyses labelled Diothonea gratissima trom the Reichen- 
bach Herbarium in Vienna. Yet, Schlechter (in Fedde 
Repert. Beih. 8 (1921) 66) says **Das Original der D. gra- 
tissima Rehb.f. befindet sich im Dahlem-Herbar. Es ist 
von Humboldt und Bonpland aut dem Quindiu-Passe 
in Colombia gesammelt. ”’ 
Diothonea nutans (Lind/.) C. Schweinfurth comb. 
NOV. 
Hemiscleria nutans Lindley Fol. Orch. Hemiscleria 
(1853), p. 1. 
spidendrum Hemiscleria Reichenbach filius in Walp- 
ers Ann. 6 (1862) 8838. 
Hpidendrum rhopalorhachis Kriinzlin in Fedde Repert. 
1 (1905) 180. 
Following Bentham & Hooker ft. (Gen. Pl. 8 (1888) 
523), it seems to me that the concept forming the mono- 
typic genus Hemiscleria should be included in Diothonea. 
[179] 
