ORCHIDACE^ 



sally with a blunt fleshy horn. Dorsal sepal about 1.5 cm. long, 

 7 mm. broad in the middle, oblong-elliptic, rounded at the apex, 

 dorsally similarly but less distinctly horned, five-nerved. Petals 

 about 1.5 cm. long, G.5 mm. broad across the middle, elliptic- 

 oblong, rounded at the apex, five-nerved. Lip immovably joined 

 to the foot of the column, in outline orbicular, about 1.2 cm. 

 long, 1.25 cm. broad, sharply three-lobed with the lateral lobes 

 erect, somewhat saccate at the base with the central portion lon- 

 gitudinally fleshy-thickened on both surfaces, in the center of the 

 disc there is a fleshy triangular callus which is about 3 mm. long, 

 3.5 mm. wide at the base and 2 mm. high with the lateral walls 

 at the base especially high ; lateral lobes membranaceous, about 

 6 mm. long and 4 mm. broad, subquadrate with the anterior and 

 lateral margins shallowly concave and forming a sharp angle, 

 dorsal margin gently convex; middle lobe about 5 mm. long, 

 6 mm. broad at the base, triangular, extremely fleshy-thickened, 

 especially the margins which are cellular pubescent. Column 

 short, stout, fleshy, about 3 mm. long, provided with a winged 

 foot. 



A collection of this plant by Haslam shows a stouter form 

 with thicker roots, leaves up to 17 cm. long, peduncle including 

 the raceme up to 39,5 cm. long with rachis 25.2 cm. long, but 

 the flower slightly smaller than that of the type which was pre- 

 served in formalin. 



This is a species that has apparently no close relatives, but 

 in flower structure it appears nearest to Thrixspermum amplexi- 

 caule (Bl.) Reichb. f., which is a more slender delicate plant and 

 has much smaller clasping leaves and difl'erently proportioned 

 lip. In the dried specimens of the lip, the fleshy consistency is 

 absent and the central callus is indicated by a pair of triangular 

 laminae converging in front. 



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