LALIA PEDUNCULARIS. 
[Puare 173.] 
Native of Mexico. 
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs clustered, roundish-ovate, obtuse, compressed, with an 
elevated line on each side. Leaves solitary, oblong obtuse, four inches long, folded 
at the base. Scape ten’ inches or a foot high, rising from between the folded base 
of the leaves, terete, with distant lanceolate sheathing bracts below. Flowers large 
and showy, in a dense six-flowered corymbiform raceme which droops gracefully from 
the slender elastic scape, of a uniform dark rosy tint of magenta-purple, the pedicels 
nearly two inches long, having an ovate acute bract at the base; sepals lanceolate- 
oblong acute; petals oblong ovate, slightly jagged at the edge, of the same colour 
as the sepals; lip large and prominent, three-lobed, the lateral lobes short, roundish, 
folded over the column, subrepand, obtuse, with the front slightly toothed, the 
middle lobe oblong, bluntly rounded and recurved at the apex, subrecurved, deep 
tosy magenta, liké the other parts of the flower, the disk, with two to four 
elevated lines, marked just within the throat with a feathered spot of very deep 
purple-crimson, and having in front of this eye-like spot a small blotch of creamy 
yellow. Column short, enclosed. 
oe ao PEDUNCULARIS, Lindley, Botanical Register, 1842, misc. 10; Jd., 1845, 
an BLETIA PEDUNCULARIS, Reichenbach fil., in Walpers’ Annales Botanices Systema- 
» Vi. 426, 
__ This rare species of Lelia has been known for many years. We originally met 
with it in the collection of the late J. Aspinal Turner, Esq., M.P., Pendlebury, 
Manchester. From Mr. Turner's plant originated, many years ago, the specimen 
me which our plate was produced. This plant is in the possession of R. F. 
Ainsworth, Esq., M.D., of Lower Broughton, Manchester, to whom we are indebted 
for the permission granted to our artist to take his sketch. We have noticed this 
utiful species flowering annually for a considerable time in this well-known 
collection, from w ich there have been many fine specimen Orchids shown at the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Old Trafford, and many of the leading Orchid prizes have 
been taken by Dr. Ainsworth’s gardener, Mr. Mitchell. There have been sae 
== aaa for this species, but we have not seen any which accord with our presen 
subject; we do hope, however, there may be some that will prove true, as it 18 
m — . Worthy of cultivation, taking up but little room and being of a most 
“asing colour, as well as useful as a single coat flower. 
‘a peduncularis is a compact sia plant, with flattish pseudobulbs, 
I ; 
