﻿F. microphyUa:— 

 smaller. 



postical lobes cucullate. postical lobes longer, saccate, 



stipules cuneate, segments trim- stipules oblong, segments acu- 



cate, i only bilobed. minate, -| bilobed. 



bracts $ obtuse, mamillately den- bracts ? acute, spinosely dentate. 



bracteole large, seg- innermost bracteole small, seg- 

 aents ovate, apex acute, on ments lanceolate, apex subu- 

 ne side connate with leaf. late, on both sides free. 



There is little difference in the cells, but the dotted line of large 

 wn cells is uninterrupted in F. microphyUa, and consists of single 

 ttered cells in F. fragilifolia." 



mbles most in size and 



certainly the species which 

 t broader base at th< 



not at all calcarate ; fro 

 leaves with dotted moniliform cells, stipules witt 

 antical lobe of bract serrate, and smooth perianth. 



ON THE GENUS ACROLOPHIA. 

 By R. Schlechter and H. Bolus. 

 The genus Acrolophia was proposed by Prof. Pfitzer in his 

 treatise on the Orchidea in Engler and Prantl's X-itiirlk-Itni Pjlan-.rn- 

 famttien in 1888, and was based upon certain species of Eidophia 

 which he separated from that genus of R. Brown on account of their 

 duplicative vernation and their terminal inflorescence. Respecting 

 the systematic value of the former character there exists considerable 

 diversity of opinion, and our experience scarcely warrants our coming 

 to a conclusion upon it. With respect to the character derived from 

 the inflorescence, Pfitzer appears to have been the first orchidologist 

 who has insisted upon its importance in classification (Entwurf eines 

 natiirlichen Sy.it, ■■■< ,hr < >n:hi,l>;:>,, 1887). Bentham (Juiirn. Linn. 

 8oc. xviii, pp. 283-4) acknowledged the value of his views, and 

 partially adopted them, especially in the arz-angement of the sub- 

 tribes of Epidendrm. To the extent of admitting the weight of 

 vegetative characters, in conjunction with others, our observation 

 has also confirmed Pfitzer's opinions. But we cannot follow him, 

 nor, we think, will most orchid ologists, when he elevates these 

 characters to a rank above those derived from the form, number 

 and arrangement of the pollen-masses, — a course which results in 

 his placing the Vandeous groups which he calls PolystachiiUB and 

 Podochilinm between, and in close juxtaposition with, LipariMna 

 and Laliinee, which the great majority of systematists regard as 

 belonging to the tribes Malaxidem or Epuiendrea, 



