ANSELLIA AFRICANA. 
[PLATE 367. } 
Native of Western Tropical Africa. 
A sub-terrestrial plant, growing in dense tufts, and producing — terete pseudo- 
bulbs, which are stem-like and leafy, attaining to three or four feet in height. 
Leaves some twelve inches or more long, and nearly two inches Nad! lanceolate, 
plaited, somewhat coriaceous in texture, and deep green on the upper side, paler 
beneath. Panicle terminal, drooping, much-branche , and many-flowered. Sepals 
and petals spreading, the latter much the broader, slightly incurved, oblong, obtuse, 
ground colour yellow, spotted on the inside with irregular blotches of rich dar 
brownish purple, which are more indistinct on the outside; lip oblong, three-lobed, 
_ anterior lobe ovate, recurved at the point, rich yellow, bearing on the dise a pair 
of elevated ridges, lateral lobes erect, rounded, streaked within, with longitudinal 
bands of dull purple. Column semi-terete, spreading upwards, yellow, spotted more 
or less with dull purple. 
AwseLLia Arricana, Lindley, Botanical Register, 1844, t. 12; Id., 1845, t. 30; 
aotonica! Magazine, t. 4965; Reichenbach fil., in Linnea, v., t. 20, p. 673; Garten- 
flora, 95; Pazxton’s Magazine of Botany, xiii., 241, with tab. : Williams, Orchid- 
Growers Manual, 6 ed., p. 134. . 
The genus we here introduce to the notice of our readers is a very small one, 
and we consider the species here figured is the best which has yet been introduced 
to cultivation, be they species or varieties. It has been objected to on account of 
its height; but it is this tall character which gives it such a tropical appearance, 
and renders it, when well grown, a noble plant, fit to grace any collection of 
Orchids with its presence. It has been an inhabitant of our plant houses for 
many years, being discovered in 1840 by our old and intimate acquaintance, John 
Ansell, who accompanied the first Niger Expedition, and found this plant in 
Fernando Po, growing on the stem of a Palm tree, which Palm is the Eleis 
guineensis, now so well known as the source of the “Palm Oil”; since which time 
the Ansellia has also been found on the opposite coast of the mainland of Western 
Africa. Dr. Lindley remarked of it at that time, “It is a noble plant of 
considerable size, bearing a long gracefully drooping panicle of large flowers.” The 
learned doctor (in whom we had the greatest English authority on Orchidaceous 
plants) dedicated this plant to the memory of Mr. Ansell, by the name of 
Ansellia, and it at once became a popular plant; and many fine specimens were 
to be found in our stoves years ago. Now, however, it is seldom met with, so 
many new Orchids appearing from time to time, that the older kinds are too 
often crowded out and forgotten; but we trust this plant will come to the front 
