PHYSURUS POLYGONATUS 



Physurus polygonatus Ames in J. D. Smith Enum. PL Gua- 

 temal. pt. vii. p. 50, no. 7678 (1905), nomen; Orchidace^, Fasc. 

 II. p. 259 (1908). 



Plant 26.3 cm. high from a creeping i^hizome. Stem rather stout, 

 below the leaves smooth. Leaves smooth, asymmetrically ovate- 

 lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, abruptly acuminate, acute, con- 

 spicuously 3-nerved, 3-7 cm. long, 1.6-3 cm. wide; petioles 

 slender, dilated at base into scarious sheaths. Above the leaves 

 the stem is pubescent and sheathed by 3 lanceolate, acute bracts. 

 Raceme ±6 cm. long, rather loosely many-flowered. Rhachis finely 

 pubescent. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, acute, sparsely 

 pubescent, exceeding the sparsely pubescent ovaries, 5-8 mm. 

 long. Flowers small. Lateral sepals sparsely pubescent, oblong- 

 lanceolate, obtuse, 1 -nerved, 4 mm. long, about 2 mm. wide. 

 Upper sepal Imesiv-Xsinceol^te, 1 -nerved, sparsely pubescent, nar- 

 rower than the laterals. Petals narrowly spathulate, 1 -nerved, 

 4 mm. long. Labellum from the tip of the spur to the apex of 

 the subreniform plate^ 5 mm. long; plate mucronate, 2 mm. 

 long, 3 mm. wide. 



The single specimen which constitutes the type was collected 

 at Cubilquitz in Guatemala, by H. von Tuerckheim. The spe- 

 cific name alludes to the resemblance of the foliage to that of 

 some species of the genus Polygonum. P. polygonatus appears 

 to be closely allied with P. repens Lindl. and P. hyphcematicus 

 Reichb. f. I have been unable to identify my material satisfac- 

 torily with any of the species contained in the herbarium of the 

 British Museum of Natural History or of the Royal Gardens at 

 Kew, or in any of the large collections which I have consulted. 



[35] 



