l82 OrchideCB. {Polystachya. 



the diagnostic characters which that author has given to them. Accord- 

 ing to Wight's figures these two species differ, in /. lanceolata having 

 narrower long-petioled I. and orbicular sep.; J. latffolia, having broader 

 short-pt-tioled 1., smaller fl., and oblong sep. These characters of flower 

 and leaf are reversed in the Ceylon specimens of the Peradeniya Her- 

 barium, and in excellent drawings of both species. 



1. J. lanceolata, Wight, /c. v. I. 19 (185 1) (in part). 

 Thw. Enum. 307. C. P. 2358. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 823. Wight, Ic. t. 1742 (leaves only; for fl. see t. 1743). 



L. 2-4 in., oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, obtuse or 

 apiculate, very coriaceous, dull green, contracted at the base 

 into a channelled petiole i in, long or less; ped. 6-8 in., very- 

 slender, branches spreading or deflexed ; bracts J^ '"•> subulate, 

 coriaceous; pedicel with the ov, very short; sep. i-yV'"- long, 

 obtuse, 3-veined, dorsal oblong, lateral ovate-oblong, subacute ; 

 pet. linear-oblong, obtuse, i -veined; lip with rounded side 

 lobes, and subquadrately rounded mid lobe, saccate between 

 the side lobes. 



Lower montane zone, 3-5000 ft.; common. Fl. Aug.-Nov.; white 

 tinged with purple, column purple. 



Also in S. India. 



Wight (citing Jerdon) says that the fl. are annually reproduced on 

 the same inflorescence. The resemblance of the inflorescence to that 

 of a Statice is striking. 



2. J. latlfolia, Wight, Ic. v. I. 19 (185 1) (in part). 



Fl. B. Ind V. 823. Wight, Ic. t. 1743 (leaves only; for fl. see t. 1742). 



L. 2-3 in., oval or oblong, tip apiculate or 2-toothed, 

 narrowed into a very short channelled petiole; ped. 4-6 in., 

 branches slender, spreading; bracts minute, subulate, coria- 

 ceous; pedicel with the ov. yV '"•; sep. \ in., 3-veined, 

 orbicular, concave, lateral hardly saccate at the base; lip as in 

 J. lanceolata, but more deeply saccate between the side lobes, 

 and mid lobe more ovate. 



Ramboda (Nock). Fl. Aug. ; apparently deeper coloured than in 

 /. lanceolata. 



24. POliYSTACHVA, Hook. 



Tufted epiphytes; stem, short or elongate, base pseudo- 

 bulbous or a hard rootstock; roots vermiform; 1. few, disti- 

 chous, narrow, coriaceous, ribbed ; ped. terminal, erect, clothed 

 throughout, as is the rhachis of the panicle, with tubular 

 membranous sheaths, branches of panicle forming many-fld. 

 spikes or racemes; fl. small or minute, resupinate; bracts very 

 small, ovate, persistent; sep. connivent, dorsal oblong, lateral 

 triangular, inserted on the foot of the column ; mcntum 

 conical; pet. very narrow, as long as the sep.; lip superior, 



