MASDEVALLIA ARISTATA Rodrig. 
MASDEVALLIA ARISTATA Rodrig. Gen. et Spee. Orch. Nov. I. (1877), p. 30 ; Gard. Chron. 1881, pt. IL., 
p- 236. 
Leaf 4 or 5 ine val-le : i i i 
Ee ches long, oval-lanceolate, dark green, narrowing below into a slender grooved petiole, 
apex tridenticulate. 
peduncle equalling the leaves, 3-angled, producing several flowers in succession, dull green; bract 
about # inch long, membranous, dull brown, sheathing the base of the terete pedicel. 
Ovary about 3 inch long, grooved, pale green. 
coho) 
Sepals cee. forming a narrow tube about 2 inch long, gibbous below, free portion of dorsal sepal 
triangular for 4 inch, prolonged into a slender flattened tail about 2 inches long, pale yellow; lateral sepals 
ovate-triangular for 4 inch, 3-nerved, yellow and brownish-crimson, prolonged into a slender flattened tail 
nearly 2 inches long. 
Petals oblong, apiculate, fleshy, slightly angled on the anterior margin, pale yellow, with minute 
crimson spots. 
Lip oblong, two-lobed, the anterior lobe oval, apiculate, curved, pale yellow, with crimson spots, 
which are larger on the basal half. 
Column a little shorter than the petals, white, apex minutely denticulate. 
OR drawings of this and other Brazilian species, unknown in this country either as 
living plants or dried specimens, we are indebted to Sefior Barbosa Rodriguez, 
Director of the Botanic Gardens at Rio de Janeiro. MW. aristata is allied to M. infracta, 
and appears to be also very closely allied to M. awrantiaca, a Brazilian Masdevallia 
known by description only. Sefior Rodriguez discovered MZ. aristata in January 1876, 
in the province of Minas Geraes, where it grows upon mossy rocks, and sometimes upon 
trees, in the dark damp recesses of the forests near Caldas. He states that the flower- 
stems are perennial, producing fresh flowers annually, and in his drawing the old flower- 
stalks may be seen appearing above the top of the bract. 
The accompanying Plate is an exact copy of Sefior Rodriguez’s drawing from nature, 
intended by him for publication in his “Tconographie des Orchidées du Brézil,” and 
referred to in his “Genera et Species Orchidearum novarum ” as “tab. 377, ined.” 
Asno fresh specimens of MW. aristata are available, the original description by Sefior 
Rodriguez from living plants is here given : 
« Foliis oboval-oblongis, attenuatis in petiolis, acumine emarginato ; scapo trigono, 
foliorum longitudine ; sepalis infractis, dorsali minori junctis, longe aristatis ; petalis sub- 
carnosis, semi-canaliculatis apice incequaliter bi-dentatis ; labello oblongo, sub-trilobato, 
apice acuto, centro canaliculato.” 
Explanation of Plate: 
Fig. 1, sepals detached and spread out, natural size ; 
4, lip, side view ;—5, column ; all enlarged. 
—2, petal, inner side ;—8, lip, front view ;— 
