116 cxxxiii. ORCHiDE.E (rolfe). [Polystachya. 



lateral triangular-ovate, acute. Petals linear-lanceolate, acute, 1^ lin. 

 long. Lip 2 lin. long, unguiculate, trilobed ; side lobes oblong, acute, 

 small ; front lobe semiorbicular, crenulate, obtuse or retuse ; disc 

 glabrous with an acute keel. Column stout, J lin. long. Chin saccate- 

 oblong, obtuse, 1| lin. long. 



M^ozainl). Dlst. Zanzibar, Kirk ! 



This is allied to the Natal P. similis, Eeichb. f ., but differs in having an acute 

 keel to the lip. 



25. P. modesta, Rdchh. /. in Flmxt, 1867, 114. Pseudobulbs 

 ovate- oblong, thickened at the base, |-1 in. long, 3-leaved. Leaves 

 oblong, subobtuse, 3-3J in. long, 5-S lin. broad. Pedicels smooth. 

 Panicles slightly branched, dense, ^-2\ in. long. Bracts small. Flowers 

 11 lin. long, yellow. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, acute, l\ lin. long; 

 la*teral triangular-ovate, acute. Petals linear-oblong, acute, l\ lin. long. 

 Lip trifid in front ; side lobes antrorse, obtuse ; front lobe broader, 

 crenulate ; disc f urfuraceous ; callus ancipitous at the base. Chin h lin. 

 long. Capsule elliptical-oblong, 3i lin. long. 



Iiower Guinea. Angola : Pungo Andongo ; near Quisonde, on trunks of old 

 trees in the primaeval woods, very rare, Welwitsch, 675 ! 



Allied to P. nitidula, Reichb. f., but much smaller. The British Museum speci- 

 men consists of a single flower and fruit, accompanied by a sketch. 



"IQ. P, shirensis, Reichh. f. Otia Bot. Hamh. ii. 112. Stems 

 dwarf, 5-leaved. Leaves linear-oblong, subobtuse, 2^-4 J in. long, 5-8 

 lin. broad. Scapes 6 in. long. Panicle small, 1| in. long, with 2 very 

 short branches. Bracts triangular-ovate, acute, ^ lin. long. Dorsal 

 sepal ovate, obtuse, | lin. long; lateral triangular-ovate, obtuse, twice 

 as large as the dorsal one. Petals oblong, obtuse, | lin. long. Lip (ex 

 Reichenhach) cuneate, dilated, trilobed to the middle ; side lobes semi- 

 ovate, apiculate, flat, incumbent, larger than the front lobe ; disc f ur- 

 furaceous, carinate towards the base. Column stout, h lin. long. Chin 

 saccate-oblong, obtuse, J lin. long. Capsule elliptic-oblong, 3 lin. long. 



IVEozaml). Sist. British Central Africa: Lower Valley of River Shire, Metier! 



The lip was imperfect in the single withered flower examined, which was taken 

 from the apex of a nearly mature capsule on the type specimen. A plant collected at 

 Madi by Speke and Grant, 715! is very similar, though apparently not identical. The 

 plant cited by Kriinzlin as P. shirensis is quite distinct. See P. KrcenzUnii, Rolfe. 



27. P. bennettiana, Reichh. f. Otia Bot. Hamh. ii. 113. Stems 

 fusiform, not pseudobulbous, 4-leaved. Leaves cuneate-ligulate, 5 in. 

 long, 5-6 lin. broad ; apex unequally acute. Racemes with a small 

 branch at the base, few-flowered. Bracts triangular, minute. Pedicels 

 obscurely puberulous. Flowers scattered. Dorsal sepal narrow ; lateral 

 much broader, triangular. Petals lanceolate, acute ; base cuneate. Lip 

 with a very short base, cuneate-dilated, trilobed ; side lobes triangular ; 

 front lobe extended, broader. Chin very short, conical. 



Nile Xiand. Abyssinia, Schimper ! 



Allied to P. cadi'.ca, Reichb. f., but larger, and with a differently shaped lip. 



