MASDEVALLIA STRIATELLA Rehb. f. 
Maspevaniia stmaren.a Rehb, f. Gard. Chron. 1886, pt. IL, p. 103 ; Orchidophile (Godefroy) 1886, 
p- 306. 
Leaf 3 or 4 inches long, oblong-lanceolate, coriaceous, Apex tridenticulate, bright green, narrowing 
below into a slender grooved petiole, sheathed at the base. 
Peduncle about 24 inches long, terete, very slender, ascending from the base of the petiole, pale 
green; bract } inch long. membranous, apiculate, \ith a minute rudimentary bud within at the base, pale 
vellowish-green. 
Ovary ,%, inch Jong. with six grooves, bright green. 
Sepals: dorsal sepal united to the lateral sepals for nearly 3 inch, forming a wide tube, gibbous below, 
free portion triangular-ovate for y's inch; lateral sepals cobering for nearly } inch, free portions triangular- 
ovate for $ inch; all 5-nerved, dull white, semi-transparent, with three bright crimson streaks, and all 
tapering into flattened fleshy tails ,%; inch long, yellowish-olive, sometimes greenish. 
Petals 4 inch long. oblanceolate, with an angle on the anterior margin, apiculate, very pale pink, with 
a broad central crimson streak, apex green. 
Lip rather more than 4 inch long, oblong, the basal half lobed, anterior half with two longitudinal 
keels, dull pink, with crimson spots on each side, and three central crimson streaks, the base and apex 
yellowish. 
Column nearly equalling the petals, white margined with crimson, apex with four crimson teeth. 
VHE first plant of J. striatelia known in cultivation was one imported in 1883 by 
Mr. James O’Brien, and given by him to Mr. Lee, of Downside, Leatherhead, in 
whose collection it flowered in 1886, supplying the specimens first named and described 
by Professor Reichenbach. 
A larger importation of this species was afterwards made by Messrs. Sander, from 
Tovar, in Venezuela, but no details of the exact elevation and temperature are 
forthcoming. 
The following information has been received from Mr. Lehmann : 
Masdevallia striatella is confined to the central mountains of Antioquia and the northern districts of 
the Cauca, where it is distributed over a large area, and extends vertically from 2,000 to 2,500 metres 
(6.500 to 8.125 feet) above the level of the sea. The principal localities of its habitat in the Cauca are : 
in the forests of Mishmish, Guatica, E] Arrayanal, and on the eastern slopes of the Alto de Tatami. In 
Antioquia it is found in the woods of the undulating mountains around Picora, Aguadas, Sonson and 
Mesopotamia; in the mountains of EI Retiro, and on the Alto de San Miguel between Santa Barbara and 
Caldas; in many places on the highlands of Santa Rosa de Osos, near San Pedro, on the banks of the Rio 
Chico, and between Santa Rosa and E] Yarumal. 
It is generally a common but very local species, growing abundantly in small isolated woods, and 
then not to be found for many miles. It grows in damp shady woods upon trees near the ground, but also 
upon Liana-like shrubs of Thibaudia and other Ericacee, in an average temperature of 14° to 16° Centi- 
rade (57°.2 to 60°.8 Fahrenheit). In the Cauca and in the southern parts of Antioquia M. striatella 
flowers in October and November, and in the north of Antioquia during May and June. 
Explanation of Plate, drawn from a plant at Newbattle Abbey : 
Fig. 1, petal. lip, and column ;—1a, section of ovary ;—2, petal, inner side ;—3, lip ;—4, column ;— 
4a, apex of column ; all enlarged ;—5, apex and section of leaf, natural size. 
