MASDEVALLIA. 69 



luiiuite crimson-purple papillae, the lateral sepals connate to beyond the 

 middle ; petals and lip minute, linear-oblong, white, as is also the short 

 semi-terete column. 



Masdevallia Veitchiana, Rchb. iu Gard. Clivou. 1868, p. 814. Bot. Mag. t. 5739. 

 Van Houtte's Fl. des Scrres, XVI[. t. 1803. Fl. Mag. t. 481. Fl. and Pomol. 1873, 

 p. 169. Warner's Sd. Orch. II. t. 33. De Puydt, Lcs Orch. t. 25 (Veitchii). 



This fine Masdevallia was discovered by Pearce on the lofty 

 Andes of Peru, near Cuzco, at 11,000 — 13,000 feet elevation, and 

 was introduced by us iu 18(37. It was gathered in the same 

 locality a few years later by our collector, Davis, who has given 

 us the following particulars respecting its habitat : — Masdevallia 

 Veitchiana occurs above the timber line, at the altitude above stated ; 

 the plants are found in the crevices and hollows of the rocks with 

 but little soil about their roots, but sometimes where a small 

 quantity of decaying vegetable matter has accumulated ; in this case 

 the plants are more robust, and when partially shaded by the 

 stunted shrubs found here and there or by projecting rocks, produce 

 larger flowers ; in the former case the plants are more tufted and 

 more floriferous, but the flowers are smaller. At this great altitude, 

 notwithstanding the tenuity of the atmosphere, the heat from the 

 direct rays of an almost vertical sun is very great on clear days, 

 but the nights are damp and chilly ; the range of temperature is 

 therefore very considerable. Vapour is constantly rising from the 

 streams and valleys below, keeping the atmosphere always highly 

 charged with moisture ; besides this, rain is frequent, even in what 

 is called the dry season. 



Under cultivation the flowers of Masdevallia Veitchiana are found 

 to vary in size and in the manner in which the papillae are spread 

 over the surface of the sepals ; a large-flowered form is known iu 

 gardens under the name of grandijiora* 



M. velifera. 



Leaves linear-elliptic, 6 — 8 inches long, including the petioles, rigid 

 and erect. Scapes stoutish, one-flowered, half as long as the leaves, 

 with a sheathing bract midway between the base and the ovary, the 

 last-named organ bent forwards at right angles to the peduncle. Tube 



■" As more thiui one sub-variety is found in collections under this name, we may state that the 

 original Masdevallia Veitchiana grandijiora distributed by us may be recognised by the following 

 characters : — the upper sepal is densely and almost uniformly covered with crimson pa[iilhie, 

 while in the lateral two these are confined entirely to the outer half, the inner half being of the 

 purest orange-scarlet and destitute of papilhe. The foliage of the plant is also more robust, 

 and is produced more slowly than in the ordinary form. 



