NAT. ORDER 



OrchidacecR. 



DENDROBIUM FIMBRIATUM. FRINGED DENDROBIUM 



Class XX. Gynandria. Order I. Monandria. 



Gen. Char. Sepals, membranaceous, erect, spreading. Petals, 

 large, membranaceous. Lip, articulated, sessile, three lobed. 

 Anthers, two celled. heaves, plain and veined. Flowers, soli- 

 tary. 



/Spe. Char. Stems, terete, pendulous. Leaves, ovate-lanceolate. 

 Racemes, lateral, many flowered. SejJals, oblong, undulated and 

 spreading. Petals, larger, undulated, ciliated. Lij), undivided, 

 hooded and fringed. 



The ste7n of this most beautiful plant rises from two to three 

 feet in height ; the sepals which stand erect are membranaceous 

 and spreading, the lateral ones larger, oblique, and connate with 

 the lengthened base of the column ; the petals are frequently larger 

 than the upper sepal, sometimes smaller, always membranaceous ; 

 the lip articulated or cornate with the foot of the column, always 

 sessile, undivided or three lobed, most commonly membranaceous, 

 sometimes appendiculate ; the column is semi terete, with a length- 

 ened base ; the anthers are two celled ; pollen-masses, four, collat- 

 eral, in pairs ; epiphytic plants, sometimes caulescent, sometimes 

 with a creeping rhizoma, bearing pseudo buds ; the leaves are 

 plain and most commonly veined, ovate-lanceolate, striated and bi- 

 farious ; xhejhwers are solitary, fasciculated or racemose, hand- 

 some ; the lip is convolute, with a broad, spreading limb of an in- 

 tense beautiful golden color. 



Vol. u.— 65 



