CHYSIS. 23 



emarginate and apiciilate ; three parallel yellow lamellae traverse the 

 entire length of the axis of the lip. Column clavate, arched." — Bate- 

 man in Botanical Magazine, t. 5646. 

 Imported from New Granada in 1864 by Messrs. Low and Co. 

 It flowered in Mr. Bateman's collection at Knypersley in 1867^ and 

 is named after Sherratt, his gardener at that time. It is described 

 as one of the handsomest of Bletias, and coming from a country 

 whose orchid wealth has been repeatedly explored^ it is a remark- 

 able fact that nothing appears to have been seen or heard of it 

 since its first introduction ; the mention of it in this place may 

 tend to preserve it from oblivion. 



B. verecunda. 



" Pseudo-bulbs roundish, depressed, marked with rings, the scars of 



former years' leaves. Leaves ensiform, much acuminated, 2 — 3 feet 



long. Scapes 4 — 5 feet high, purplish below, green and branched 



above, many flowered. Sepals and petals similar and sub-equal, ovate, 



acuminate, of a uniform light rose colour, the lateral sepals keeled 



behind ; lip longer than the petals, three-lobed, the lateral lobes curved 



upwards, purplish rose, yellow at the base streaked with purple lines, 



the middle lobe dilated and much cupped, deep purple ; disk with fine 



yellow longitudinal lamellae." — Botanical Magazine. 



Bletia verecunda, R. Br. in Ait. Hort. Kew, ed. II. vol. V. p. 206 (1810—1.3). 

 Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orch. p. 121. Gard. Chron. XXVI. (1886), p. 140, icon. xyl. 

 B. acutipetala, Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 3217. Helleborine Americana, Martyn. Limo- 

 doruni altum, Linn. L. verecundum, Salisb. L. tuberosum, Jacq. Cymbidium 

 verecundum, Sw. And many others. 



Widely distributed over the West India Islands, it is also found 

 in Florida and Mexico. Mr. Hemsley observes that " this orchid was 

 cultivated by Collinson, or rather by Wager, in 1731, fi^om bulbs 

 received by the former as part of a dried specimen, and this is 

 probably the earliest record of the cultivation of an exotic orchid 

 in Great Britain.^'* 



CHYSIS. 



Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1837, t. 1937, and 1841, t. 23. Benth. et Hook. Gen. Plant. III. p. 514 

 (1883). 



Although totally distinct in habit and aspect fi*om the fom* 



preceding genera, Cliysis nevertheless possesses the same essential 



sub -tribal characters. 



* Gard. Chron. XVIII. (1882), p. 681. 



