Plate 161 



RENANTHERA LOWII 



Mr. Low's BenantJiera. 



Gen. Char. Petala patentia^ 3 inferiora (quoad axin florum) subsequalia^ liueari-spathulata, 

 2 superiora multo majora^ nndulata^ unguiculata. Lahellum sessile, parvum, bitubcrculatum, 

 inferne conico-saccatunij 3-lobum^ lohis lateralihus erectis, rotundatis, intermedia acuto roflexo 

 basi constricto. Oermen rectum, Coliimna brevis^ aptera. Anfhera opercularis^ obtusa, decidua, 

 pseudo-bilocularis. Masses pollinis 2^ postice bilob^e^ pedicellatae ; pedicello lato membrauaceo : 

 glandidd ad basin magn^, 



Renanthera ioM;2li; caulibus robustis subramosis altissime scandcntibus, foliis coriaceis Hgulatis 



rctusis, spicis simplicibus longissimis pendulis flaccidis multiflorisj floribus hetcrogoneis, 

 sepalis petalisque saepius lanceolatis undulatis acutis sed in floribus (duobus) versus basiu 

 ^spicse sitis sepalis petalisque carnosis obtusis. 



Renantheea Lowii. Ueichenh.Xenia.p. 89. Lemaire^ Illustration Eortic. 18G4, 417. 



Vanda Lowii. Lindl. Oard. Ghron. 1847, p. 239, Warner, Select. OrcTi. ii. /. 4. 



A more remarkable plant than the subject of the present Plate is not to be found 

 among the vast and varied tribe to which it belongs. While in the stateliness of its 

 habit and in the length of its flower-spikes it stands quite unrivalled among the Orchids 

 of the Eastern world, its greatest peculiarity is to be found in the constant occurrence 

 oitwo etifirelf/ distinct forms of flower on the same spike. This extraordinary circum- 

 stance was first observed by Professor Eeichenbach, who satisfied himself, after a careful 

 examination of fresh specimens furnished from M. Reichenhcim's garden, that the 

 strange phenomena had nothing to do with the separate production of male or female 

 blossoms, since the organs in either form were equally perfect. Neither is tliis strange 

 dimorphism to be classed with such fantastic changes as have been observed ni 

 Cycnoches, Cafasetum, and the like, of which sundry examples are given in the 

 Botanical Register ' and the ' Orchidaccae of Mexico and Guatomala.* In those 



. alien forms were associated with flowers of the normal type, but they 



& 



appeared capriciously, and might be regarded as a sort of monstrous birth. In the 



however, nothing can be set down to caprice, for that singular pair of 



ny flowers is found, as represented in the Plate, at the base of every spik 



t 



