SPIRANTHES SALTENSIS 



Spiranthes saltensis Ames Orchidace^, Fasc. ii. p. 258 



(1908). 



The type specimen is destitute of foliage and appears to be 

 hysteranthous. Plant about 32 cm. tall, clothed by 6 or more 

 tubular acute rather loosely appressed bi^acts. Stem pubescent. 

 Flowers 8, large, nodding. Floral bracts exceeding the ovary, 

 ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, acute, when dry conspicuously 

 striate-nerved, 1.1-1.8 cm. long. Ovary turbinate, pubescent, 

 suberect. Peiianth strongly deflexed. Lateral sepals linear-ob- 

 long, acute, 3-nerved, 1.7 cm. long, about 2.5 mm. wide. Uj^per 

 sepal linear-oblong, 3-nerved, 1.8-1.9 cm. long, broader at the 

 base than the lateral sepals. Petals falciform, acute, 1.7 cm. long. 

 Lahellum panduriform, ecallose, shortly clawed, somewhat apic- 

 ulate, 3-nerved, with the lateral nerves branched, 1.7 cm. long. 



Mexico : Collected near El Salto, State of Durango, at 8000-8700 ft. alt., 

 on July 12, 1898, by E. W. Nelson (no. 4545). 



This very distinct species is nearly allied with Spiranthes 

 Llaveana Lindl. It belongs to a puzzhng group of plants which 

 appear to form a connecting series between the genera Spiran- 

 thes L. C. Rich, and Sauroglossum Lindl. The species of this 

 series are rarely found complete in herbaria on account of the 

 usual absence, during anthesis, of basal leaves, consequently 

 descriptions of the foliage are likely to be wanting. The accom- 

 panying plate was prepared from the type specimen in the United 

 States National Herbarium. 



A^. eriophora Robinson & Greenman, another INIexican spe- 

 cies, which is a near ally of S. saltensis, is characterized by elon- 

 gated tubular sheaths which entirely conceal the stem, and by 



exceptionally long floral bracts which exceed the flowers. 



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