MASDEVALLIA CORNICULATA Rchb. f. 
MASpEVALLIA cornicuLata Rehb. f. Gard. Chron. 1878, pt. L, p. 72; 1881, pt. IL, p. 236; Veitch 
Manual Orch. pt. V. (1889), p. 37. 
Var. inflata, Veitch Manual Orch. pt. V. (1889), p. 37 ;—Masdevallia inflata Rchb.f. Gard. Chron. 
1881, pt. IL., p. 716 ; Orchidophile (Godefroy) 1881, p. 172. 
Leaf 8 or 9 inches long, about 14 inch wide, oblong-lanceolate, carinate, apex tridenticulate, margins 
reflexed, bright green, narrowing below into a slender, grooved, pale green petiole. 
Peduncle 3 or 4 inches long, terete, ascending from a joint near the base of the petiole, pale green ; 
bract very large, concealing the ovary and the base of the perianth, ovate, acuminate, pale green, with a 
rudimentary bud within at the base. 
Ovary about 4 inch long, triangular, with three crenate wings, bright green, sometimes spotted with 
crimson. 
Sepals: dorsal sepal united to the lateral sepals for about 3 inch, forming a wide inflated tube, free 
portion triangular, very short, with three nerves, two of which bifureate ; lateral sepals cohering for about 
1} inch, oblong-ovate, with three carinate nerves, two of which bifurcate ; all bright yellow, spotted with 
reddish-brown, and terminating in slender yellow tails, 2 or 24 inches long. 
Petals about } inch long, linear-lanceolate, acutely angled on both margins, pale yellow, apex 
attenuate, prolonged, reflexed, orange-yellow, with numerous small papille. 
Lip 1 inch long, united to the curved foot of the column by a very flexible hinge, grooved at the base, 
with a concave nectary on each side, pandurate, with two short longitudinal wings, pale yellow, with small 
pink spots, apex rough with minute papille, orange-yellow. 
Column nearly } inch long, winged, apex slightly crenate, white, spotted on the foot with pink. 
ViASDEvaLLr CORNICULATA was discovered in 1877 by a collector sent out to 
Colombia by Messrs. Backhouse, of York, who supplied specimens from their 
plants for Professor Reichenbach’s description in 1878. Consul Lehmann has not yet 
found this species in its native habitat, and the only information which he can give con- 
cerning it is that “it originates from the higher regions of the Andes, at an elevation of 
2,500 to 3,000 metres ” (8,125 to 9,760 feet). The specimen represented in the accompa- 
nying Plate affords an excellent example of the long, horn-shaped petals, which suggested 
the very appropriate name of “ corniculata.” 
In the year 1881 a variety of J. corniculata, imported from Colombia, appeared in 
the collection of Mr. Bull, and was at first named by Professor Reichenbach as a distinct 
species, M. inflata. It has not been thought necessary to give a drawing of this variety, 
Explanation of Plate, drawn from a Plant at Newbattle Abbey : 
Fig. 1, petal, lip, and column, in natural position ;—la, section of ovary ;—2, petal, inner side ;— 
3, lip ;—3a, base of lip, showing nectaries (much enlarged) ;—4, column ;—4a, apex of column, all 
enlarged ;—5, apex and section of leaf, natural size. 
