8. MiCROSTTLis.] 159. ORCniDACEM. 



Sent from Chota Nagpiir to the Calcutta Gardens by the Rev. L. Cardon, precise 

 Jocahty not recorded, but probably from Jaspur or Sarguja on our borders. Fl. 

 July. 



Tuber about -5- -6". L. 5-6 nerved. Bracts lanceolate, -15", reflexed. 



9. LIPARIS, L. 



Terrestrial (in our area) or epiphytic, often with pseudobulbous 

 base. Leaves 1 or more, sometimes jointed on the sheath or pseudo- 

 bulb. Flowers small in terminal racemes. 8epals spreading, re- 

 curved or revolute, margins often revolute. Petals as long, very 

 slender. Lip anterior, adnate to the base of the column, usually 

 broad, defiexed from a very short base or recurved. Column long, 

 incurved, margined or winged towards the tip ; anther terminal, 

 pollinia 4. 



Bracts • 08- -1", sepals -3- -4". Peduncle many-angled . .1. bitiiberculata. 

 Bracts -17- -2", sepals -2- -25". Peduncle 3-angled . . 2. nervosa. 



1. L. bituberculata, Lindl. 



A stout erect herb from a sub-tuberous rootstock, often tufted. 

 Whole plant 12-20" with raceme, stems 2-5" to top leaf insertion, 

 one or more loose sheaths at the base and lower leaves sometimes 

 reduced to sheaths. Leaves 2-5, upper subopposite, broadly elliptic 

 or ell. -ovate to lanceolate (elliptic-lanceolate, F.B.I.), 4-6" long, base 

 suddenly contracted into -a short petiole, apex cuneate. Flowers 

 a delicate pink, rather lax but many in the raceme with very small 

 triangular spreading, erect and weakly reflexed bracts -OS--!" long. 

 Sepals •3--4" linear-oblong obtuse, lateral often revolute, lip -25" 

 shorter than sepals decurved, cuneately obovate retuse, purple, 

 2-tubercled, margins entire. 



In rocky streams, mountains of Chota Nagpur, Neterhat, 3000 ft.! Sarguja, 

 Cardon ! Fl. Aug. Fr. Oct.-Nov. 



Leaves sometimes with wavy base which causes it to appear oblique in dried 

 specimens, strong nerves 5-7, lateral arcuate to the tip. Peduncle grooved and 

 angled. Pedicels -25- -3". Capsule -7-1". When gone out of flower it is easily 

 distinguished from Mierostylis co?igesta, which it then resembles, by the more 

 distant fewer, shorter, less markedly reflexed bracts. 



2. L. nervosa, Lindl. Sj-n. L. odorata, Lindl. : L. paradoxa, Reichh. f. 

 A more slender plant than the last 6-15" high with much narrower 



usually oblong narrowly elliptic or oblong-lanceolate to linear-lan- 

 ceolate leaves 3-6" with shorter ones below, base tapering, sessile. 

 Spikes 3-6", rhachis angled, bracts long subulate or linear and very 

 slender •2-- 3", not reflexed (but see below). Perianth •2-- 25" long. 



Marshy places. Sarguja, Cardon ! Fl. Aug. 



The following description of a plant said to be L. paradoxa which was taken 

 from a living specimen flowered at Kew does not appear to agree in the bracts : 

 " Spike 3-6". Bracts small triangular, deflexed. Sepals lemon yellow, nearly 

 equal, margin reflexed, tip membranous. Petals oblong, shorter, inrolled, striped 

 yellow and purple. Lip adnate to base of column purple, recurved, base minutely 

 cared and with 2 conical glands, tip broad flat notched, upper half of column 

 winged." Capsule •4-'5'' rounded between the ribs which are decurrent on the 

 • 1" long pedicel. 



1166 



