MASDEVALLIA MUSCOSA Rechb. f. 
Maspevatiia muscosa Rehb, f. Gard. Chron. 1875, pt. I., p. 460; 1881, pt. IL, p. 336 ; 1887, pt. L, 
p. S36; pt. IL, p. 522; Amn. Bot. vol. T. (1887-8), p. 237, pl. XII. ; Veitch Manual Orch. pt. V. 
(S89), p. 54. 
g, very leathery, tridenticulate, narrowing below into a slender 
erooved petiole, sheathed at the base, dull green tinged with purple, the upper surface covered with minute 
Leaf about 2 inches long, oval-oblong 
rounded papille. 
Pedunele 4 or 5 inches long, terete, ascending from within the sheath at the base of the petiole, 
hearin several flowers in succession, with two or three closely sheathing brownish bracts, pale green 
covered with long mossy hairs, having each a minute viscid tip; flowering bract ,%; inch long, membranous, 
pale brown, 
Ovary 4 inch long, with six rounded angles, greenish, covered with short stiff hairs, the short terete 
pedicel being smooth, 
Sepals: dorsal sepal united to the lateral sepals for ,%, inch, forming an open tube, gibbous below 
! ] 16 ] p f ’ 
free portion triangular-oblong for ,\, inch, 3-nerved, terminating in a slender reflexed tail about 3 inch Jong, 
clubbed at the tip ; lateral sepals cohering for } inch, triangular-oblong for } inch, 3-nerved, terminating 
in slender reflexed tails about Linch Jong, clubbed at the tip; all pale yellow with darker yellow tails. 
Petals nearly | inch long, linear, with an angle on the upper margin near the base, apex rounded and 
thickened, curving forward so as to meet in front of the column, yellow, with a red-brown central streak. 
Lip about | inch Jong, united to the curved foot of the column by a very flexible hinge, linear at the 
hase. with a rounded central ridge or cushion, then widening into a shell-like blade, velvety within, the 
margins ineurved and set with long stiff hairs, the apex a small rounded lobe; pale yellow, the central 
ridge orange with red spots, the blade half vellow, half maroon-purple. 
Column much shorter than the petals, winged, the anthers pointing backwards and downwards, pale 
ereen. apex brown, 
FPS curious plant was discovered near San Domingo, by Shuttleworth, when collect- 
ing for Mr. Bull in the Central Cordillera of Tolima, Colombia. The covering of 
mossy hairs upon the stem, peculiar to the species, suggested to Professor Reichenbach 
the name muscosa, or mossy, and is probably intended to prevent crawling insects from 
making their way up the stem to reach the flower. A still more remarkable characteristic 
is the sensitive lip, which closes upon the curved petals when the central part is 
touched, imprisoning any insect alighting upon it, and holding it forcibly as in a trap. 
There is no contrivance for destroying intrusive insects and retaining them as nourish- 
ment for any part of the plant, and they can only be intended to escape and carry away 
the anthers from one flower to another. The incurved margins of the lip are edged with 
stiff sharp hairs, effectually guarding the egress in that direction, and a fly, in attempting 
Explanation of Plate, drawn from a plant at Newbattle Abbey : 
Fie. 1. petal. lip, and column, showing the lip closed ;—1Ja, section of ovary ;—2, petal, inner side ;— 
3. lip:—4. column ;—da, apex of column ;—4b, column with the anthers removed ; al/ enlarged ;—5, apex 
and section of leaf. natural size. 
