MASDEVALLIA VESPERTILIO Rcehb. f. 
MaspevaLiia Vesrertinie Rehb. t Bot. Zeit. IS73. p. $905 Gard. Chron, 1877, pt. L, p. 272; 1880 
pt Laps al2 Uses pt. TL., p. 409: Veiteh Manual Orch. pt. V. (1889), p.t4; : 
Leaf 6 or 7 inches Jong, obloug-lanceolate, carinate at the hack, Apex acutely tridenticulate barrow~ 
ing below ito a groaved petiole, sheathed at the base, bright green. 
» ‘les } . . ate | *) 9 j 
I vidune Ie about 4 inches long, terete, slender, attenuate below, lateral or descending from the base of 
the petiole, jointed, with a closely sheathing bract at cach joint, bearing two or three flowers in succession 
succession, 
dull purplish-s 
rp flowering bract J inch long, ovate, apiculate, sheathing below, with one or two 
buds within, bright green. 
Ovary | inch Jong, with six crenate Wings, green and crimson. 
Sepals: dorsal sepal united to the lateral sepals for about + inch, forming an open cup, free portion 
1. ngular-ovate for nearly 3 inch ; Interal sepals cohering for nearly J inch, very broad, triangular-ovate, 
ro, nded below: all the sepals pale sulphur-vellow spotted with erimson, the inner surface covered with 
clougated papille, with numerous nerves, the principal ones prominent on the outer surface, terminating 
in slender terete tails about 1} inch long, yellow, with minute crimson spots. : 
Petals scarcely | inch long, oblong, apex bilobed, with a mass of minute reddish papilla between the 
lubes. pale vellow spotted with red-brown, 
Lip about | inch long, Heshy and deeply grooved at the base and united to the foot of the column 
by a very flexible hinge, anterior portion shell-like, the margins converging inwards, the inner surface 
qtute smooth, without rays, pure white. 
Coluun a Little longer than the petals, narrowly winged, apex acutely denticulate, pale yellow, banded 
with red. 
M ANY dried specimens of Masdevallia vespertilio were sent to Professor Reichenbach 
= by the collectors Roezl. Wallis, Chesterton and Patin, from the Valley of the 
Cauca. in Colombia, but until i877 no living plants had been imported. The first to 
r Trevor Lawrenee. 
flower were in the collection of $ 
The general characteristics of the flower are constant and distinet, and the structure 
of the Hip alone would suffice to identify the species. This organ is remarkable for the 
entire absenee of keels or rays, a peculiarity which will be easily seen by comparing the 
uccompanving Plate with those preecding it in the same section. 
Consul Lelimann sends the following information : 
Musderallia vespertilia lis almost asx’ wide a geographical distribution as the allied species, J. 
Choncea, and is found upon the upper slopes of the valleys between the Central and Western Cordilleras 
of Cohambiacand also on the western declivities of the Western Cordillera at both its northern and 
southern extrenities, It grows in dense masses upon trees in thick woods, atau elevation of 1,200 to 
L700 inetres (5.900 to 0.925 feet). and the temperature ranges between 19° and 21°5° Centigrade (about 667 
to 70) Fahrenheit). “The clinate is uniformly damp and the atiosphere is nearly always saturated with 
Tersture, 
Asa species Mo respertilio is wsost distinct and shows very little variation, the size and sumber of 
Howers upon a plant being perhaps the ouly pereeptible ditferenee. Throughout its entire range, from 
the north of Nutioquia to the southern boundary of the Department of Cauca, the bright yellow of the 
fiawers. with thei rich erimsen spots, is exactly similar, and several flowers are produced in’ succession 
upon the same stem. “The largest-flowered plants are found at Frontino, its northern limit, and also on 
the Iighlands of Los Anaves. and on the castern slopes of the Cerro Munehique, near Popayin. On the 
Cordillera of BDehideazar. a lateral range of Mountains branching off from the Cerro de Caramanta in the 
Western Cordillera. and running tirst exstwards and then southwards, aud ending a little below Cartago, 
in Canea. J respertilie grows in erent abundance. The flowers in this region are small, but very 
nimerous and finely esloured. as are also these found at its southern tinit, near Pasasquer and San 
Pablo on the road from ‘Puquerres to: Barbaceas. From this locality T introduced a large number of 
plants in PSSQland they still toma the matin steck of this species in Europe. 
) Xphanation of Pate 
Fig. 1. petal, lip. and column. in natural position ;—La, seetion of ovary ;—2, petal, inner side ;— 
Ya. petal, sides—3. lip :-4, columm ;-da. apex of colupm 3 afl enlarged ;—5, apex and section of leaf; 
U. seed-eapside tromea wild plant: wadaral size. 
