434 32. OPIIRYS MYODES. [CL. XX. 



Avhat pointed at the top, about the length and breadth of a 

 finger, hi the centre of wlilch the round, smooth stem, of the 

 thiclaicss of a strong packing thread, rises straight, erect, to the 

 height of a foot. The blossoms are arranged on the top of the 

 stem in a spike, but distant from one another, seldom to the 

 number of six. Amotig them we observe erect, Avhitish-green, 

 small, nearly linear bracteae, a little longer than the flowers. 

 These last consist of a three-leaved calyx, which externally 

 is green ; internally, and at a later period, it is brown. The 

 leaflets are oblong, somewhat obtuse, and penetrated by three 

 nerves. The labellum is four-lobed or three-lobed, with the 

 central lobe emarginated or divided ; the lateral lobes are 

 somewhat distant, but they are all obtuse. The whole la- 

 bellum is reddish-brown, or of a rusty colour, hairy, ciliated, 

 and has a bluish spot in its centre, by which means the 

 whole flower resembles a fly. Above it, the reddish-brown 

 fruit-column rises, with two linear, remote, lateral honis, of 

 the same length. Two yellow pollenous masses, each of 

 which is divided into two parts, rest on stalks, which are at- 

 tached to the fruit-column by small spheres ; on the upper part 

 they are surrounded by two folds, from which they gently issue, 

 when they are fully ripe. The stigma, on its lower side, is 

 splendent with a glutinous moisture ; (s. 90, 91.) The ger- 

 men is cylindrical, a little twisted, stands below the fruit, and 

 opens with three valves, which last are connected by particu- 

 lar ribs, and carry on their sides the exceedingly fine, small 

 seeds surrounded by a spongy membrane. 



Diagnosis and Affinity. 



The most nearly related species are O. aranifera and ajyi- 

 fera. But the latter, the flowers of which have a great re- 

 semblance to a bee, are distinguished by their broader and 

 shorter stem-leaves, by three large pale-red calyx leaflets, and 

 two others that are small, green, and fringed. The labellum 

 is brownish-red, with a yellow hairy setting, and the central 

 lobe is turned backwards with a small process. The fruit 

 column passes above the antherae into a distinct rotellum. It 

 flowers in July. Three months earlier, in April, appears 



