44 oxcIDIU^t. 



We are indebted to Mr. 0. 0. Wrigley, of Bridge Hall, Bury, 

 Lancashire, for materials for description. 



On. hians. 



Pseudo-bulbs about the size of a hazel uut, slightly compressed aud 



ancipitous, monophyllous. Leaves varying from oval to linear-oblong, 



acute, 1 — 2 inches long, leathery and slightly glaucous. Scapes slender, 



almost filiform, jnirplish, 9 or more inches long, few flowered. Flowers 



of peculiar structure and appearance, about ^ inch in diameter ; sepals 



and petals quite imiform, narrowly oblong, red-brown with a yelloAV 



margin ; lip obscurely lobed, linear-spathulate, emarginate, yellow with 



some red-brown spots ; crest white, very large in proportion to the size 



of the lip, four-lobed, erect. Column Avings large, sub-quadrate, white. 



Onciclium hians, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 1838, misc. No. 124. Id. Fol. Orch. Oncid. 

 No. 122. Kegel's Gartenfl. 1888, t. 1250. 



One of the most curious species of Oncidium that has ever come 



under our notice, although not one that will receive much favour 



from amateurs. The structure of the crest is peculiar, and which 



Dr. Lindley not inaptly likened to the four fingers of the hand 



hollowed out and closed together; this extraordinary crgan is as 



long as the column and parallel with it, the two together having 



the fanciful resemblance of a gaping mouth which suggested the 



specific name.* It was first introduced in 1838 from the vicinity 



of the gold mines in Brazil (Ouro Preto ?) by Messrs. EoUisson 



of Tooting, but it seems to have been lost to cultivation for many 



years. It was sent to the Imperial Botanic Garden at St. Petersburgh 



in 1887 by Lietze from Brazil, and since that date it has reappeared 



in British gardens. Mr. James O^Brien, of Harrow, kindly sent us 



materials for description. 



On. hyphaematicum. 



Pseudo-bulbs oblong, compressed, 3 — 4 inches long, monophyllous. 

 Leaves about a foot long, ligulate-lanceolate, complicate at base. Scapes 

 4 — 5 feet long, much branched, pale purple below the branches, with a 

 whitish sheathing bract at each joint. Flowers numerous, \^ inches in 



* In this case the crest of the labellum has, without doubt, been developed at the expense 

 of the front lobe, which is reduced to a very narrow blade. Its importance in the economy of 

 the plant is, liowever, evident ; for an insect visiting the flower would be more likely to 

 alight on the prominent crest than on any other organ as the easiest, if not the only means 

 of approach to the base of the labellum uhere honey would be secreted. In returning it 

 could scarcely fail to touch the sensitive rostellum, and carry away the poUinia which the 

 insect on alighting on another flower in the same way would certainly deposit on its stigma, 

 and thence its fertilisation would be efi'ected. An insect less than the common house-fly 

 would be sufficient to accomplish this. 



