Plate 128. 



L^LIA PEJESTANS 



Admirable Lmlia. 



Gen. Char. Sepala explanata, lanceolata;, eequalia. Petala majora, paulo difformia, carnosa, 

 explanata. Labellum posticum, 3-partituin, lamellatum, circa columnam convolutum. Columna 

 aptera^ carnosaj antice canaliculata. Anther a opercularis. PolUnia 8, caudiculis 4 elasticis. 

 Kerhsd epiphytce J rhizomate pseudoholhophoro. Folia carnos a. Scapi Vermin a 7es, ;m?<a-.r. r7i?i?/i- 

 Jtori. Flores sjpeciosi^ odorati. Lindl. 



Lelu jjrastans ; pseudobulbis stipitatis fusiformibus costatis monopliyllis, foliis oblongis acutis, 

 floribus solitariisj bracteis squamaeformibus abbreviatis, sepalis oblongis acutis^ petnlis multo 

 latioribus ovato-oblongis obtuse acutis^ labello libero trilobo circa colninnam onnn'no cnnvo- 

 luto carnoso, carinis 4 vel 6 per discum_, columntl crassd superue dflatatA, nuriculis |>'>sticis 

 apicularibus sibi incumbentibus. Ex Beichenhach. 



fil. in Koc)) 



Lindl 



Bletia prffistans. Reich, jil. Xenia 



Hi 



At first sight this rare and beautiful plant might be mistaken for a large variety of 

 another Laelia, with which we have been long familiar under the various names of 

 Cattleya piimila, C. marginafa, or C, Fmelli, but it is in reality perfectly distinct. Pro- 

 fessor Reichenbach was the first to distinguish it, and he has given a most faitliful re- 

 presentation in one of the Plates of his ' Xenia Orchidacea/ his specimens having been 

 obtained from the rich collection of Consul Schiller, of Hamburg. In this country the 

 plant is still extremely rare, and I am not aware of its having bloomed except in the 

 collections of Mr. Day and Mr. Marshall. It was from a plant that flowered finely in 

 the garden of the latter gentleman that the accompanying figure was prepared. 



L.pr(sstans comes from the island of St. Catherine, and shouhl be treated like 

 other Brazilian Laelias and Cattleyas from the same locality; but it prefer?^ a bh'ck of 

 Jiard wood to a pot, and it should always be placed near the glass. It" flowering ?^ti<nn 

 18 November, and the blossoms are exceedingly durable. 



Bescr. Paeudohulhous stems rather club-shaped, three or four inches high, shorter 

 than the leaves. Leaves, one on each stem, not more than six inches long, flohy, 

 oblong, sharp-pointed. Peduncle -short, one-flowered. F/owcrs larger and more fleshy 



