388 OR CHID -GEO wee's MANUAL. 



the margin densely fimbriate, and the whole inner surface 

 hispid, the tails of a deep violet-purple colour ; the petals 

 are cuneate oblong, slit at their apex into four wings containing 

 in their centre a great warty body ; the lip is slipper-shaped 

 with the edges denticulate.' This species, with its allies that 

 have drooping flowers, should be grown in baskets suspended 

 from the roof of the house, — New Grenada. 



FiG.—Xenia Orch., ii. t. 185 ; Id,, 1. 186, fig. 1 ; Florist and Pomol, 1873, 

 2, with fig. ; Put/dt, Les Orch., t. 23, 



M. CMmsera Backhousiaiia, Rchb. f. — This plant is very 

 closely allied to M. Chimcgra, and we agree with those who 

 consider it to be a variety of that species, Reichenbach says 

 it is coloured like the well-known M. Wallisii (the usual 

 Chimcera of gardens), but the colours are much brighter and 

 the flowers much larger, having also a very long narrow lip. 

 A variety of this plaut has been flowered by Messrs. Back- 

 house & Son, measuring sixteen inches across the blossom. — 

 Nev] Grenada. 



M. COCCinea, Linden. — A charming little plant of compact 

 growth, with tufts of leathery oblong-obtuse dark green three- 

 nerved leaves, the stalk-like base somewhat terete and chan- 

 nelled. The peduncles are a foot high, and the flowers 

 solitary, the perianth with a short curved tube, which with 

 the upper linear- subulate sepal is rosy pink, the elliptic 

 falcate lower sepals of a glowing scarlet. Dr. Lindley 

 describes it as " a most charming thing, with flowers as red 

 as a soldier's coat." This little gem has often been sent to 

 this country, but the plants have either been dead on arrival, 

 or have soon died through being subjected to too great heat, 

 and other bad treatment. We have, however, now found out 

 the proper method of growing them, though it is still a rare 

 species. A variety of M. ignea is often sold for this plant, 

 but it is totally distinct from that species, the foliage being 

 much stouter and shorter, and the flowers larger. — Neiv 

 Grenada : Pamplona. 



'FiG.—Gard. Chron., 1868,75, with fig. ; Id., N.S., xvi. 23fi, fig. 49; Xenia 

 Orch., V. t. 74, figs. 1, 2 ; Gartenflora, t. 870 ; Floral Mag., 2 ser., t. 410, 

 fig. 2. 



M. Coliljri. — See Masdevallia Ephippium. 



M. Davisii, Ptchh. /.—A very distinct species, with narrow 

 linear-oblanceolate keeled thick coriaceous leaves eight inches 



