STAUR0P8IS. 6 



growing on large trees of Lagerstroemia Regince, on the banks of the 

 Tenasserim River ; and by Thomas Lobb in the locality in which it was 

 first detected by Dr. Wallich. It flowered for the first time in 

 Europe in Mr. Robert Warner's collection at Broomfieldj in April, 

 1858, and at the same time in Mr. Booth's collection at Flotbeck, 

 near Hamburg, its contemporaneous appearance at these places thus 

 affording an opportunity for the examination of fresh materials by the 

 greatest orchid authorities of that time (Lindley and Reichenbach). 

 It was exhibited by Mr. Warner at the meeting of the Horticultural 

 Society of London, held at St. James's Hall on April 21st, where 

 it is reported to have "certainly disappointed expectation," a circum- 

 stance which goes far to explain why it is so rarely seen in British 

 gardens at the present time. For materials for description we are 

 indebted to Mr. F. Wigan, of Clare Lawn, East Sheen, whose collection 

 includes some fine old orchids now but rarely met with in cultivation. 

 The specific name must be assumed to refer to the large size of 

 the flowers and leaves rather than to the habit of the plant, 

 which under cultivation has never been observed to attain but 

 moderate dimensions compared with the Goliath-like stature of its 

 congener next to be described. 



S. lissochiloides. 



Stem very stout, ligneous below, attaining a height of several feet, 

 and 1 — 2 inches in diameter. Leaves spreading or slightly decurved, 

 broadly ligulate, 18 — 24 inches long, embracing the stem at their base, 

 unequally bilobate at apex, very rigid and coriaceous. Racemes sub- 

 erect, longer than the leaves, 12 — 20 flowered. Flowers fleshy, 3 inches 

 in diameter, somewhat distantly placed along the rachis, on green 

 twisted pedicels, each Avith six shallow keels ; sepals and petals similar 

 and sub-equal, obovate-oblong, yellow densely spotted with red-purple, 

 purplish crimson beneath, the margins becoming reflexed as the flower 

 increases in age ; lip Uke a pelican's bill, three-lobed, the side-lobes 

 rotund, erect, bufi"-yellow with longitudinal veins, between them is a 

 thick, rounded, raised plate ; the anterior lobe fleshy, boat-shaped, with 

 three shallow keels above, and a broader one with a median sunk line 

 beneath. Column very short and thick, red freckled with yellow above, 

 white and purple around the stigmatic hollow. 



Stanropsris lissochiloides, Beiith. in Journ. Linn. See. XVIII. p. 381 (1831). 

 Vaiida lissochiloides, Lmdl. Gen. et Sp. Orch. p. 216 (1832). Blume, Ramphin 

 IV. p. 41, t. 194. V. B.itenianii, Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1846, t. 59 (Batemanui). id 

 Fol. Orch. Vanda, No. 1 (1853). Van Houtte's Fl. des Serves XVIII. t. 1921-2. 

 Fieldia lissochiloides, Gaudichaud, Voyage, p. 424, t 36 (1826). Rchb. Xen 

 Orch. II. p. 38 (1862). Id. Walp. Ann. Yl. p. 870 (1864). 



