POLYSTACHYA. 006 



P. gratiosa, Endr. et Rchb. f. — A very elegant species in 

 the way of P. lepida, having the many-flowered racemes 

 deflexed, not nutant, and a velvety rachis. It is, however, 

 distinguished from P. lepida by the very short claw of the 

 lip and by the anterior part of the same organ. There are 

 two varieties as regards the size of the flowers, the finer 

 one reaching that of P. harhata, the smaller one that of 

 P. lepida. The sepals are ligulate acute somewhat bearded 

 on the outside, the petals linear lanceolate very shortly clawed , 

 and the lip has two oblong retuse auricles at the base, a rhom- 

 boid callus in the middle part, and the front part oblong 

 narrowed to a ligulate apex. It is a very elegant species, one 

 of the discoveries of Mr. Endres. — Costa Eica. 



P. Ifipida, Linden et Bclih. f. — A very pretty species, with 

 ovoid clustered pseudobulbs about two inches in height, of a 

 dark green colour, and stalked ovate plicately-veined leaves. 

 The flower scapes proceed from the sides of the bulbs, and 

 support a drooping raceme of from fifteen to twenty flowers, 

 of which the lanceolate sepals and petals are pale yellow 

 thickly dotted with purple so as to produce a pale brown or 

 tawny hue, and the lip is pale yellow lightly spotted with 

 chocolate brown, white towards the base. — Colombia : New 

 Grenada. 

 'FiG.—IHust. ffort., 3 ser., t. 19. 



POLTSTACHYA, Hooker. 

 {Tribe YandeaB, suhtrihe Cymbidieae.) 



This is a genus of epiphytal plants, with pseudobulbous 

 stems, few distichous leaves, and terminal racemes of rather 

 small dull-coloured flowers, and hence it does not find much 

 favour at the hands of Orchid growers. The species named 

 below is, however, of ornamental character. There are about 

 forty species described, mostly Tropical and South African, 

 some from Tropical Asia (India and Malaya), and a few 

 from Tropical America. 



Culture. — The South African species, of which P. jmbescens 

 is an example, grow well in the cool house, potted in peat 



A A 



