ADA. 129 



G. recurva. 



Pseudo-bulbs ovoid, compressed with acute edges, 2 — 3 inches long, 

 di-triphyllous. Leaves linear-oblanceolate, 8 — 12 inches long. Racemes 

 as long as or longer than the leaves with a pale yellow rachis ; bracts 

 awl-shaped, nearly as long as the ovaries. Flowers | inch across 

 vertically, light yeUow ; dorsal sepal and petals oblong-spathulate, 

 undulate; lateral sepals connate into an oblong blade deeply bifid at 

 the apex ; lip shorter than the lateral sepals, ovate, acute, reflexed at 

 the apex and with two sliort raised plates at the base. 



Gomeza recurva, R. Br. in Bot. Mag. t. 1748 (1815). Rodriguezia recurva, Lindl. 



Gen. at Sp. Orch. p. 195 (1832). Odontoglossum recur ram, Rclib. in AValp. Ann. VI. 



p. 853 (1864). 



The species upon which the genus was founded and which had 

 been introduced from Brazil to the Apothecaries' Garden at Chelsea, 

 where it flowered, probably for the first time in this country, in 

 1815. It seems to have been subsequently lost. We received the 

 specimen fi-om which the above description was taken from the 

 collection of Mr. H. J. Cuming at Foston Hall, Derby, in .1887. 

 It comes very near Gomeza planifolia, but it is a more robust 

 plant with larger pseudo-bulbs and leaves, and with longer racemes 

 of brighter yellow flowers. 



ADA. 



Lindl. Fol. Orch. 1853. Benth. et Hook. Gen. Plant. III. p. 506 (1883). 



A small genus of which two species are now known, both of 

 them natives of the Cordilleras of Colombia, and both among the 

 handsomest orchids of their colour ever brought under cultiva- 

 tion. The type species is the well-known Ada aurantlaca, which 

 was discovered upwards of half-a-century ago ; the second species 

 has only been brought to light within the last few years through 

 the exertions of the excellent orchidologist whose name it bears. 



Ada is placed by Mr. Bentham in the small group of genera 

 belonging to the sub-tribe Oncideje, distinguished by their usually, 

 not always, monophyllous pseudo-bulbs and by their flowers not 

 fully expanding.* It is not known to whom the genus is dedicated. 



* The group includes Neodryas, Trizeuxis, Ada, Sutriua, Andean genera, and Trigonidium, 

 chiefly British Guianian, in all about twenty species, souio of them very curious, but none, 

 with the exception of the two Adas, of any horticultural merit. 



