AERANTHUS LEONIS. 
[Plate 213.] 
Native of the Comoro Islands, alt. 5,000 ft. 
Epiphytal. Stems short, erect, with the foliage arranged in a fan-like manner, 
so as to form a close dense distichous tuft. Leaves thick in texture, set vertically 
on the stem, ensiform 6r_broadish ligulate-lanceolate acuminate, falcately curved, of a 
deep green colour. Peduncles springing from the leaf axils, numerous, erect, short, 
green, with rather large amplexicaul ovate cucullate brown bracts, and bearing a 
raceme of five to seven flowers clustered rather closely amongst the foliage ; pedis 
green, curved at the tip. Flowers very freely produced, two and a half inches in 
diameter, pure white, fragrant; sepals lanceolate the dorsal one erect, the two lateral 
ones narrower and directed downwards; petals of nearly the same form, broader at 
the base, spreading; lip roundish ovate cuspidate, a little concave at the base, 
about an inch and a quarter long, and three-fourths of an inch broad, pure white 
like the sepals and petals; spur curved, from five to seven inches long, the basal 
part obliquely funnel-shaped, the upper two-thirds narrower and filiform, white 
tinged with green. 
Aérantuus Leonis, Reichenbach fil., in Gardeners’ Chronicle, xxiii. 726; 
Id. xxiv. 80, figs. 17,18; Williams, Orchid-Grower’s Manual, 6 ed. 631. 
Ancracum Lronts, of gardens. 
The species of Aégranthus form a small genus of Orchids allied to Angraecum. 
That which is here figured was discovered by Mons. Léon Humblot, and by him 
introduced to this country. It is a beautiful plant, and as it is a decided novelty in 
our collections, it will probably be much sought after by those who are fond of 
the smaller-growing epiphytal. species of this aristocratic race. Our drawing was 
prepared from a specimen which flowered during the present year m the well- 
known collection of R. H. Measures, Esq., at Woodlands, Streatham. 
Aéranthus Leonis is an evergreen species of dwarf habit, having peculiar sword- 
like faleate leaves, stout in texture, about a span long, and closely set on the 
stem. The flowers are white, the lip being broadly ovate and coneave, and they 
are borne in racemes which sometimes consist of as many as seven flowers. These 
charming blossom last several weeks in perfection. 
This plant requires the same treatment as other 
is, to be cultivated in small baskets or pans with sphagnum moss 
chareoal or broken potsherds intermixed with the moss; they do not requin a8 
material about them, the plants being found growing on trees, where the = oe 
fall during the growing season have free: access to the roots. These rains serv 
G : 
small-growing Angrecums, that 
and lumps of 
ire much 
