Bolbophyllum.] orchide.e. 353 



3. BOLBOPHYLLUM, Thouars. 



Sepals acuminate, nearly equal ; the lateral ones oblique and united with 

 the column at their base. Petals shorter, usually vei-y short. Labellum arti- 

 culate on the base of the column, usually entire. Column very short, with 2 

 teeth or horns in front. Anther terminal, lid-like. Pollen-masses 4, waxy, 

 one of each pair often much smaller. Ehizome or stem creeping and often 

 epiphyte, with false-bulbs at the nodes, each usnally bearing one leaf. Pe- 

 duncles 1- or several-flowered, arising by the side of the false-bulbs. 



A cousiderable genus, dispersed over tropical Asia and Africa. 



1. B. radiatum, Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orcli. 55. False-bulbs narrow-ovoid 

 or oblong. Leaves rather thick, oblong, obtuse or notched, f to 1 in. long. 

 Peduncles slender, about 2 in. long, with a small terminal umbel of 4 to 6 

 white flowers surrounded by a few lanceolate fine-pointed membranous bracts. 

 Sepals near 4 lines long ; the short broad base tapering to a long fine point. 

 Petals about half as long. Labellum linear-lanceolate, rather thick, twice as 

 long as the column. 



Abundant in a ravine on Victoria Peak, Champion ; also Wright. In Tavoy and Khasia. 



4. ERIA, Lindl. 



Sepals unequal; the lateral ones very oblique at the base, and connate 

 with a long projection from the base of the column into a short spur or pouch. 

 Petals equal to or smaller than the upper sepal. Labellum articulate at the 

 end of the projection from the column and folded over it and against the 

 column, 3-lobed or rarely entii'e. Anther- terminal and lid-like. Pollen- 

 masses waxy, usually 8, free or cohering, 4 of them sometimes much smaller. 

 Stems usually succulent at the base, or forming false-bulbs, often epiphyte. 

 Leaves usually folded. Eacemes simple, erect, 1- or many-flowered. 

 A considerable tropical Asiatic genus. 



Minute tufted plant, with small false-bulbs and leaves. Peduncles filiform, 



1- or 2-flowered 1. E. pu.silh. 



Stems erect, 6 to 8 in. Leaves nearly as long 2. E. rosea. 



1. E. pusilla, Lindl. inJourn. Linn. Soc. iii. 48. A dwarf plant, form- 

 ing close patches consisthig of an intricate mass of rhizomes and minute fiJse- 

 bulbs. Leaves 2 to 4 lines long, usually 2 on each false-bidb. Peduncles 

 filiform, 3 to 5 lines long, bearing 1 or 2 flowers of a dirty yellowish-green, 

 and slightly fetid. Sepals and petals about 2 lines long, all acuminate. 

 Labellum liiiear-lanceolate, folded, entii-e, or minutely serrulate. — Couchidium 

 pusillum, Griff. Notul. t. 310. Phreatia uniflora, Wight, Ic. t. 1734. Eria 

 .sinica, Lindl. in Joum. Linn. Soc. iii. 48. 



On bare rocks on the top of Victoria Peak, Chaminon. Also in Khasia. 



2. E. rosea, Lindl. Bot. Reg. t. 978 ; Joiiru. Linn. Soc. iii. 50. False- 

 bulbs ovoid, veiy thick, bearing usually a single leaf; flowering stems 6 to 8 

 in. high, with I'or 2 leaves at the base. Leaves oblong-linear or lanceolate, 

 thick,°nearly as long as the stem. Flowers 2 to 4, pink, distant. Bracts 

 linear, 1 to'H i"- lo^g- Sepals and petals broadly oblong, obtuse, erect, 6 to 

 7 lines long. Labellum broadly obovate, 3-lobed ; the 2 lateral lobes erect ; 



2 A 



