52 ORCHIDACEM 



ing several filamentous roots at base, reddish (according to field 

 notes), with scattered scarious, acute or obtuse bracts. Flowers 

 white in loose racemes, subtended by short triangular-ovate, acute, 

 cymbiform bracts, which are much shorter than the 5 mm. long, 

 slender pedicels. Ovary about equal to the pedicel in length. In 

 fruit the pedicel becomes extraordinarily elongated, attaining a 

 length of 10 cm. or more. Labellum flabelliform, cuneate at base, 

 about 4 mm. long, with a transverse verrucose callus on the claw, 

 and with scattered verruciform papillae along the disc. Sepals and 

 petals adherent, forming a tubular perianth, 6-7 mm. long. Col- 

 umn about 4 mm. long, semi-terete for two thirds of its length, 

 the apical third complanate, slightly winged. 



The elongation of the pedicel after pollination of the flower is 

 a most interesting characteristic of this species. According to Mr. 

 Hemsley, the pedicels grow out sometimes as much as a foot in 

 length. Owing to this development, the elongated pedicel appears 

 to be a part of the stem. Both collections on which my observa- 

 tions are based were made in the vicinity of bamboos. This is 

 noteworthy, as Didymoplexis pollens has usually been found about 

 clumps of bamboos, and would seem to be a saprophyte or partial 

 saprophyte. Mr. Hemsley suggests that the elongation of the 

 pedicel serves the purpose of carrying the ripening fruit above 

 the decaying vegetable matter in which the plant grows. For an 

 entertaining account of D. pollens and the synonymy of the 

 genus Didymoplexis, reference should be made to the Journal 

 of the Linnaean Society 20 : 308 (1884). 



On shady slopes under bamboo by rock, 500 ft. above sea-level, 

 Mt. Arayat, Prov. Pampanga, Luzon, May 3, 1905, F. U. Bolster 

 (no. 27). — Saprophyte growing on rotten bamboo in bamboo 

 hedges near brooks, plant white to brown, fl. flesh colored, Ma- 

 nila (Kagolangin), June 11, 1905, A. Loher (no. 6002). 



Formosa, Java, Perak, Calcutta to Sikkim. 



