10 



with this species. Nevertheless I see no reason for doubting 

 Lesquereux's determination beyond the fact that he queried it. 

 The present occurrence is based upon characteristic nuts collected 

 by Mr. Wade at Adamsville. 



Celtis mississippiexsis Bosc. 



This species, so far as I know, has not previously been found 

 fossil. The present occurrence is based upon beautifully pre- 

 served, reticulate surfaced stones collected from the Loess at 

 Vicksburg, Mississippi, by E. W. Shaw at a horizon lo feet be- 

 low the surface. The related Celtis occidentalis Linne is repre- 

 sented by stones in the late Pleistocene (Talbot formation) at 

 Tappahannock, Virginia.^ 



The Johns Hopkins University. 



NOTES ON LYCASTE 



By T. D. a. Cockerell 



Among the various neotropical orchids, few are more attrac- 

 tive than the species of Lycaste. Several years ago Mrs. Cock- 

 erell brought three foyns from Guatemala, and we have had 

 abundant opportunity to study their characters, as they flowered 

 each season in the greenhouse. The plants were purchased in 

 Guatemala City, but were brought from the surrounding coun- 

 try by the natives. The most interesting and beautiful is the. 

 one known in horticulture as Lycaste Skinneri var. alha. After 

 comparing the living plants with typical L. Skinneri, flowering at 

 the same time, I came to the conclusion that the so-called var- 

 iety alha was a distinct species. It apparently occurs wild, and 

 in spite of assertions to the contrary, it certainly has structural 

 as well as color characters. The lateral lobes of the lower petal 

 or lip are much larger in Skinneri than in alha; while the bract 

 of Skinneri is much shorter, not reaching the middle of the upper 

 sepal. I wrote to Mr. R. A. Rolfe concerning the matter, and 

 he discussed the question briefly in Orchid Review, 1915, p. 224. 

 He did not believe that alba could be a distinct species, and I 



I Berry, E. W. Am. Nat. 43= 435- I909- 



