A CENTURY OF INDIAN ORCHIDS 
BY 
Sir. JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER. 
PLATE 1. 
OBERONIA ORBICULARIS, Hook, f. 
O. orbicularis; foliis ensiformibus sensim acuminatis, scapo crasso foliaceo vel folio 
confluente, spica elongata cylindracea sensim longe attenuata densiflora, floribus subsessilibus 
rachi crassa quasi applanatis aurantiacis, ovario brevissimo, bracteis late ovatis orbiculatisve 
erosis, sepalis petalisque ovatis obtusis integerrimis, labello orbiculato concavo sepalis 
majore integerrimo vel crenulato apicem versus obscure 3-lobo у, emarginato. Hook, у; 
Fl. Brit. Ind. v. 677. 
Нав.--біккім-НімАтАха ; at Dikkeeling, alt. about 4,000 ft., Clarke, KHASIA Hırıs, 
Gibson, 
Stems very short, densely tufted, flat. Leaves 4—6 in. long by 3—3 in. broad towards the 
base, gradually narrowed from the base to the tip, dark green. Spike sessile on the top of 
a flat, truncate, leaf-like scape, or inserted at the margin or top of a leaf, being in fact 
wholly or in part confluent with a leaf, 4—6 in. long by 1 in. diam., terete, very gradually 
narrowed from the base to the filiform tip. Flowers minute, pressed down on the broad 
membranous erose bracts, dull orange yellow, with the lip darker and deeper coloured. 
Very closely allied to О. pachyrachis, Reichb. f. Mss. (Fl. Brit. Ind. v. 681), which has the same 
disposition of the leaves and spike, and minute sessile flowers crowded on the thick terete rachis, and 
nearly the same sepals and lip; but in that plant the bracts are shorter and broader and the petals are 
very narrow. As, however, both plants inhabit the Eastern Himalaya and Khasia Hills, they may 
prove forms of one species. | 
The drawing of O. orbicularis was made at the Calcutta Garden from specimens sent by Mr. Gibson, 
a collector for the Duke of Devonshire, from the Khasia Hills, to Dr. Wallich in 1836. It bears the 
И Ты, s Abi 
manuscript name of О. phyllostachys, in Wallich's hand-writing, a significant name which I should have 
retained had I known of it when describing the genus Oberonia for the Flora of British India. 
Fig. 1, portion of spike; 2, bract; 3, front and 4, back view of flower; 6, flower with perianth-segments 
dispiaced ; 6, ovary, column and anther; 7, pollinia,—all greatly enlarged. ie = 72 
PLATE 2. 
Місвовтүілѕ Ұліллснип, Lindi, 
М. Wailichii; folis 2—4 sessilibus petiolatisve elliptico-vel ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis | 
| marginibus sepius undulatis, scapo acute angulato, racemo multifloro, bracteis ovario 0 00 
brevioribus patentibus vel reflexis, labelli lamina apice rotundata +. emarginata, aurieuis 000 
Any, Вот. Bor. Garp. CALc, Vor. V. 
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ee Т” КОЛЛ Е همو تو‎ ма Au En залды а t UY a INEST x T а р 
