COMPARETTIA SPECIOSA. 
[PLatE 233.] 
Native of Ecuador. 
Epiphytal. Psewdobulbs small, truncate, cylindrical or oblong, purplish, invested 
with pale-coloured ovate-lanceolate acuminate scales. Leaves ligulate-oblong acute, 
tapered to the base, sessile, persistent, channelled, the base partially enveloped by 
the pale-coloured membranaceous bracts of the pseudobulb. Scape proceeding from 
the inner base of the leaf, purplish, furnished with sheathing bracts at intervals, 
terminating in an open many-flowered raceme. Flowers large for the genus (one and 
a half inch broad), and of a strikingly brilliant colour; sepals (dorsal) erect, ovate- 
acuminate, reflexed at the apex, bright orange streaked with deep red, the lateral 
ones oblong-acute, connate into a boat-like form, bearing one or two teeth at the 
acuminated apex, continued behind into a slender minutely pilose spur, which is 
upwards of an inch and a half long, green at the base and yellowish towards the 
tip; petais ovate acute, orange striped with deep red_ similar to the dorsal _sepal, 
and standing erect beside it; lip with a very short claw, auricled. on both sides at 
the base and bearing a small keel between the auricles, the anterior lobe large, 
subquadrate, deeply emarginate in front, and of a brilliant cinnabar or orange-red 
colour. Column small, with green wings and a white beak. 
_ComparerTia spectosa, Reichenbach fil. in Gardeners’ Chronicle N.8., X., 524; 
Williams, Orchid-Grower’s Manual, 6 ed., 226. 
The Comparettias form a small genus of very beautiful Orchids of the epiphytal 
class. The species we here figure and describe is a most charming one, and worthy 
the attention of all growers of these plants, since the brilliant colour of its flowers 
is most attractive, as may be seen by a reference to the accompanying illustration, 
for the opportunity of preparing which, we are indebted to Sir Trevor Lawrence, 
Bart., M.P., Burford Lodge, Dorking, who exhibited the plant at one of the Tuesday 
meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, when it was awarded a well-deserved 
First Class Certificate. 
Comparettia speciosa is one of the dwarf-growing species of the evergreen class, 
having very small oblong pseudobulbs, ligulate-oblong leaves, and loose drooping 
Facemes of numerous large flowers, which are not less remarkable for their broad 
lip and long spurs than for their brilliant colour. The sepals and petals are light 
crange with a cinnabar glow; and the short-clawed lip has the front lobe sub- 
quadrate and emarginate, about one and a quarter inch wide, with a small keel 
between the basal auricles, the colour being of the finest cinnabar-orange through- 
out. The plant will hold on for several weeks in bloom. 
M 
