CIRRHOPETALUM. 101 



Director of the Botanic Garden at Peradeniya. Although not so 

 striking as the preceding species, it is noticed here on account of 

 it being occasionally imported along with other Ceylon orchids. 



0. Medusae. 



Pseudo-bulbs ovoid, ribbed. Leaves elliptic-oblong, 6—8 inches long. 



Scapes as long as the leaves, clothed with large sheathing bracts. Umbel 



many-flowered. Flowers small, cream colour spotted with yellow ; dorsal 



sepal lanceolate at base ; lateral sepals tapering into long pendent tails, 



4 — 5 inches long ; petals and lip minute, subulate, with a broad base. 



Cirrhopetalum Medusae, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 1842, t. 12. Bot. Mag. t. 4977. 



Native of Singapore, whence it was introduced by Messrs. Lod- 



diges, in 1841. The aspect presented by the dense cluster of 



flowers at the apex of the scape is one of the strangest even 



amongst orchids. " The flowers are small, but so numerous, and 



the lateral sepals are so very much lengthened as to give the 



spike the appearance of a head with very long dishevelled hair, 



which induced Dr. Lindley to call the plant the Medusa's Head 



orchid."* 



0. ornatissimum. 



Pseudo-bulbs ovoid, 1 — \\ inches long. Leaves oblong-obtuse, 4 — 5 

 inches long. Scapes short, terminating in a semi-umbel of 4 — 5 

 flowers, pale yellow streaked and stained with purple. Dorsal sepal 

 oval-oblong, fringed at the apex ; lateral sepals linear-lanceolate, pro- 

 longed into slender tails ; petals like the dorsal sepal but more 

 pointed ; lip with a curved claw, oblong, reflexed, deep purple. 

 Cirrhopetalum ornatissimum, Rchb, in Gard. Chron. XVIII. (1882), p. 424. 

 A species with bright-coloured flowers about the size of those 

 of Cirrhopetalum Thouarsii, that has been in cultivation since 1879, 

 and is now in several orchid collections. Native country not 

 recorded. 



0. picturatum. 



" Pseudo-bulbs tufted, ovoid, 2 — 2| inches long, angulate. Leaves 

 linear-oblong, 3 — 6 inches, petiolate, emarginate. Scapes longer than the 

 leaves, pale green speckled with purple, Avith a pale yellow-green sheath 

 speckled with red at each joint. Umbel 10 or more flowered. Flowers 

 2 inches long and upwards ; upper sepal erect, obtuse, with a terminal 

 purple-knobbed thread as long as itself, dull green spotted with red; 

 lateral sepals linear, straight, pale dull green ; petals very small, rounded, 



* The Medusa of mythology was one of three frightful maidens called Gorgones. The hair 

 of her head was changed by Minerva into snakes, by which she became so dreadful an object, 

 that every one who looked on her was turned into stone. 



