A NEW BLETIA FROM MEXICO 
BY 
CHARLES SCHWEINFURTH 
IN A SMALL COLLECTION of orchids from northern 
Mexico collected by H.S.Gentry and sent for determi- 
nation by Dr. Forrest Shreve of the Desert Laboratory 
(at Tucson, Arizona) of Carnegie Institution of Wash- 
ington, appeared the following species which seems to be 
undescribed. 
Bletia amabilis C. Schweinfurth sp. nov. 
Herba terrestris, speciosa. Folia plura, prope basim, 
imbricantia, elliptico-lanceolata vel lineari-elliptica, longe 
acuminata, vaginis duabus cylindraceis fulta. Caulis fis- 
tulosus, glaber. Racemus laxus. Flores spectabiles, grand- 
es. Sepalum dorsale elliptico-oblanceolatum, acutum. 
Sepala lateralia oblongo-elliptica, acuta. Petala obovato- 
oblonga. Labellum medio profunde trilobatum: lobi 
laterales semiobeordati; lobus medius obcordatus, pro- 
funde bifidus. Discus carinis quinque percursus. Columna 
valde arcuata, superne dilatata. 
Plant terrestrial, up to about 9.4 dm. tall (doubtless 
becoming taller). Base of the plant enveloped by two 
imbricating tubular scarious sheaths which appear to be 
finely more or less reddish-maculate, from above these 
bracts issues a cluster of three imbricating erect-spread- 
ing leaves. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to linear-elliptic, 
up to about 23.5 em. long and 5 cm. wide (the upper- 
most much narrower), long-acuminate, convolute, many- 
nerved with five to seven more prominent nerves, sub- 
membranaceous. Stem stout, fistulose, glabrous, provid- 
ed below with one tubular appressed scarious sheath 
which is 8 em. long. Raceme very loosely 12-flowered, 
arcuate-flexuous near the summit, about 28 cm. long 
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