Although the type of Ornithidium giganteum came 
from Ecuador (near Loxa), later collections show that 
this plant is rather frequent and variable throughout the 
northwestern portion of South America. A collection 
noted as epiphytic (not terrestrial as often specified) from 
the high altitude of 3000-3300 meters (2. W. Pennell 
14119) has very stout stems of uncertain height with 
relatively short broad leaves, up to 19.8 cm. long and 3.4 
em. wide, which are commonly conduplicate throughout 
and are more or less distichously imbricating. 
The plant described as Ornithidium bolivianum Schltr., 
of which I have examined isotype material, appears to 
represent the usual form of O. gigantewm. 
Maxillaria brachypetala Schlechter in Fedde Re- 
pert. Beih. 9 (1921) 102; ex Mansfeld in Fedde Repert. 
Beih. 57 (1929) t. 125, nr. 489. 
A recently examined collection referable to this spe- 
cies shows several discrepancies from the description and 
from the later analysis. 
The leaves, which vary from oblong to elliptic-oblong, 
reach a maximum length of 28 em. and a width of 4.5 
em., whereas those of the type are described as ligulate 
and about 15-18 cm. long and 8-4 cm. wide. 
The petals are not ligulate as described, but distinctly 
narrowly spatulate as figured. 
The base of the lip is not long-cuneate, as shown in 
the figure, but subrounded. Consequently the lateral 
lobes are semiovate rather than triangular as shown and 
described. 
Cuzco: Prov. Convencion, Hda. Amaibamba, at 2000 meters alti- 
tude, epiphyte, February 1943, C. Vargas 3418. 
Maxillaria caespitosa C. Schweinfurth nom. nov. 
Ornithidium dolichophyllim Schlechter in Fedde Re- 
pert. Beih. 9 (1921) 106; ex Mansfeld in Fedde Re- 
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