ORCHIDACE^ 



are based on scanty material. The former species is represented 

 by two specimens, one in the herbarium of the Bureau of Sci- 

 ence at Manila, and the other in my own collection of Dendro- 

 chilum species. These specimens, however, are in an excellent 

 state of preservation, and are apparently fully developed. D. an- 

 fractoideSy on the other hand, is known only through a single 

 plant bearing six leaves and two mature racemes. In aspect it is 

 wholly unlike D. anfractum, although the floral segments, with 

 the exception of the labellum, are similar to the floral segments 

 of the older species. Notwithstanding the peculiarities of distri- 

 bution exhibited by many orchids, which preclude large repre- 

 sentative collections being made, the plants often occurring scat- 

 tered in small colonies or as single individuals over wide areas, 

 collectors are too frequently inclined to secure single specimens, 

 merely as records, forgetful of the necessities of the science they 

 are attempting to aid. Often it is not desirable to let material lie 

 unnamed for years, in the hope that more extensive collections 

 will throw light upon it, nor does this procedure seem necessary 

 when the specimens are well developed and apparently normal. 

 When, however, lack of material renders impossible a thorough 

 study of extreme forms, errors in judgment are likely to be fre- 

 quent and unavoidable. A comparison of D. anfractoides with 

 Z). anfractum may be made by means of the plate published here- 

 with and plate 21 in the second fascicle of Orchidaceje. 



Dendrochilum (§ Acoridium) Curranii s]p. nov. Aff". D. tenui, 

 speciei quam habitu et structura hsec species conspicue simulat. 

 Pseudohidbi fusiformes, graciles, a basi fastigati, 2-2.5 cm. longi. 

 Folium petiolatum, lineari-lanceolatum, obtusum, conspicue 

 3-nervium, 5-10.5 cm. longum, 7-12 mm. \2il\iYn\ petiolus circa 

 2 cm. longus. Pedunculus flexuosus, ±10 cm. longus, gracilis. 



[15] 



