ar 
20 
PL >, wos, 
DENDROBIUM ATROVIOLACEUM rots. 
DEEP PURPLE-LIPPED DENDROBIUM. 
DENDROBIUM. Vide Lindenia, I, p. 13. 
Dendrobium atroviolaceum. Glaberrimum ; pseudobulbis fusiformi-clavatis, superne sulcatis, inferne longe atte- 
nuatis et teretiusculis, apice diphyllis rarius triphyllis ; foliis robustis, patulis, crasse coriaceis, ovato-oblongis, acutius- 
culis, persistentibus ; racemo solitario, terminali, erecto, plurifloro, foliis circiter aequilongo ; bracteis ovatis, acutis, 
adpressis, ovario multo brevioribus; floribus majusculis, patulis ; sepalis submembranaceis, patulis, dorsali anguste 
ovato acuto, lateralibus anguste triangularibus breviter acuminatis, mento satis prominente obtuso; petalis erecto- 
patulis, obovatis, acutis, sepalo dorsali aequilongis et paulo latioribus ; labello petalis aequilongo, carnoso, trilobato, 
lobis margine integerrimis, lateralibus majusculis erectis incurvis apice rotundatis, terminali convoluto subreniformi 
apice abrupte apiculato, disco inferne usque ad medium late calloso; columna brevi, apice antice utrinque unidentato, 
Dendrobium atroviolaceum ROL¥FE in Gard. Chron., ser. 3, VII, p. 463 et 512 (1890); XV, p. 113, fig. 12 
(1894). — Journ. des Orch., 1, p. 71 (1890); IV, p. 361 (1894). — L’Orchidoph., 1890, p. 130; 1892, p. 323 et 
324. — WILLIAMs, Orch. Alb., X, tab. 444 (1892) ; Orch. Grow. Man., edit. 7, P- 325 (1894). — Hook. r. 
in Bot. Mag., tab. 7371 (1894). — L. Linp., Les Orch. exot., Pp. 725 (1894).— Fourn. of Hortic., XXVIII, p. 65, 
fig. 10 (1894). — Orchid Rev., Il, p. 72 (1894); III, p. 305, fig. 12 (1895). 
Dendrobium Forbesii RiDLEY (ex WILLIAMS, Orch. Grow. Man., loc. cit.). 
Crescit in Novo-Guinea orientali. 
endrobium atroviolaceum has stout, oblong, inflated pseudo-bulbs, fur- 
rowed at the upper part, rather thinner at the apex, greatly diminished 
and rounded at the lower part, bearing two or sometimes three leaves. 
The latter are rather large, expanded, thick and leathery, persistent, oval-oblong, 
rather acute, of a dark green. Flower-spike solitary, terminal, erect, composed 
of 5 to 8 good-sized flowers perfectly smooth and greatly dilated. Each pedicel 
bears a membraneous, oval acute, appressed, whitish bract, about 8 mm. long. 
The sepals almost membraneous, dilated of a whitish-yellow ornamented with 
thick spots of violet-purple especially in the lower part, the dorsal sepal narrow- 
oval, acute, about 2 1/2 cm. long; the lateral sepals somewhat smaller, trian- 
gular, shortly acuminate forming in front an obtuse prominent chin. The petals 
are erect and expanded, of the same length and colour as the dorsal sepal, but 
rather less blotched and obovate. The lip fleshy, of the same length as the 
petals, distinctly three-lobed ; the lateral lobes large, rounded at the apex, slightly 
encircling the column, rich violet-purple within, deep green without; the terminal 
lobe much broader than long, rolled into a cornet, abruptly apiculated at the 
apex, of a deep green, the interior part marked with violet-purple bands irregu- 
larly rameous; extending from the base to the height of the lateral sinuses, 
greenish-white variegated with purple, concave with acute edges in the lower 
part, with three ribs in the upper part. Column 4 to 5 mm. in length, -ofa 
Us 
