130 BROUGHTONIA. 



apex ; })etals similar Ijut uarrmvcir and with slightly revolute margin ; 



lip very large, adnate to the column tlie entire length of the latter, 



with which it formvS a funnel-like tube, the blade sub-orbiculav, concave, 



bifid at the apex, densely and coarsely fringed at the margin, deep 



vinous purple Column terete, green spotted with dull purple. 



Epitlendrum Medusae, Bentli. in Gen. Plant. III. p. 531 (1883). Nanodes 

 Medusa;, Rchb. in Gard. Chron. 1867, p. 432. Bot. .Vaq.t. 5723. Van Houtte's 

 Fl. des Scrres, XVII. t. 1771. 



Introduced iu 1867 by Messrs. Backliouse and Son, of York, from 



the Andes of Ecuador^ although probably first discovered a short time 



previously by Walhs^ who sent a rude sketch of the flower to 



M. Linden of Ghent, by whom it was communicated to the late 



Professor Reichenbach. It flowered for the first time in this country 



in the collection of the late Mr. John Day, at Tottenham, in the 



summer of 1868. It is one of the most singular amongst orchids, 



'' its stout culms, its pale, glaucous foliage, and the extraordinary 



appearance and lurid purple of the flower give it a most sinister 



aspect."* 



Cultural Note. — Nanodes Medime should be grown in the Odonto- 



glossum house and receive treatment similar to that given to the dwarf 



growing Odontoglots. Pans with ample drainage or teak baskets that can 



be suspended near the roof-glass should be preferred. The compost of 



sphagnum moss and peat should be kept constantly moist, and the plant 



while growing should receive a liberal supply of water. The flowers of 



this orchid are among the most persistent in the order. 



BROUGHTONIA. 



K. Br. iu Ait. Hort. Kew, ed. II. vol. V. p. 217 (1810—13). Benth. et Hook. Gen. 

 Plant. III. p. 531 (138'i). 



A small genus including only two known species inhabiting the 



West Indies, of which the type has long been in cultivation. With 



this Mr. Rolfe has joined L'eliopsis domingensis, Lindl.,t already 



described in page 98 of Part 11. of this work, on the ground that 



it conforms to the essential characters of the genus in having four 



pollinia, in the presence of a spur that is adnate to the ovary, and 



in the side lobes of the lip embracing the footless column, the two 



last-named characters clearly separating Broughtonia from Epidendrum 



into which it was merged by Reicheabach.J The genus was dedicated 



* Bot. Mag. sub. t 5723. t Gard. Chron. V. s. 3 (1839), p. 491. + Walp, Ann. Yl, p, 324. 



