STANHOPEA. 



109 



derived^ their determination in herbaria is extremely difficult. The 

 Stanhopeas are all natives of tropical America, but the information 

 respecting their origin has been so vaguely and even carelessly 

 given by the importers of them, Ihat the precise habitats of not 

 more than half of them are accurately known. By far the greater 

 number of the species have been introduced from Southern Mexico 

 and Central America; two or three are known to inhabit the Andes 

 of Northern Peru, and three or four more occur on the Cordilleras 

 of Colombia and Venezuela. t<tanhopea insignis and 8. eburnea are 

 said to be of Brazilian origin, but this requires confirmation. 



The following are the most obvious floral characters of Stanhopea : — 



Column and lip of Stanhopea Wardii. (1) hypochile, (2) mesochi'e, (3) epichile. 



The sejmls and ijetals are spreading, of membraneous texture and 

 soon fading ; the lateral sepals are larger and the petals smaller than 

 the dorsal sepal. 



The labeUum is a remarkable organ of peculiar aspect, in wliich the 

 tripartite structure common to the Orchide.e is strongly maikeil ; the 

 three parts are thus usually distinguished :— (1) hypochile, the basal 

 portion which is affixed to the base of the column ; this is always 

 saccate or hollowed out from above, sometimes globose in outline, 

 sometimes elongated into the form of a boat ; (2) mesoclule, the middle 

 portion consisting of two horn-like bodies either bent round and parallel 

 with the sides of the epichile or bent ujjwards at a considerable angle 

 to it; (3) epichile, the apical portion — this is polymorphous, being cordate, 

 ovate, sub-rhomboidal or even oblong. Both mesochile and epichile 

 are of wax-like appearance, usually white or colourless, but sometimes 

 spotted. 



The column is greatly elongated, arching over the labellum and 



