covered with small rosy ring-like spots, and others with orange-yellow seg- 
ments with fewer spots. Both of these have a large blackish-purple blotch on 
either side of the base of the hypochile, but there is another form without 
these markings, and with the segments wholly orange-yellow, which is LinpLey’s 
variety venusta, represented in the annexed plate. The origin of this variety does 
not appear to have been recorded, but there is a specimen in Linpiey’s Her- 
barium, labelled “ Mexico, H. H. S. 1839, ” which may mean that it flowered 
in the Horticultural Society’s Garden in that year. The annexed plate, which 
appears to represent a form substantially identical with the original one, was 
prepared from a plant which flowered with Messrs Linpen, L’HorticuLture INTER- 
NATIONALE, Pare Leopold, Brussels, during last summer. From the variety aurea 
it only differs in the absence of the eye-like spots on the base of the hypochile. 
Some very interesting observations with respect to this species were made 
by Linptey in his original description. He pointed out that “ the inside of the 
hollow base of the lip is covered over with numerous round tubercles, which 
give it the singularly rich and sparkling appearance of a grotto lined with purple 
and yellow spar. ” A section of these, magnified about 500 diameters, was 
represented on the plate, and the author remarked that these tubercles consist of 
cellular tissue arranged with great regularity, and there is no distinct cuticle. Some 
of the cells are filled with yellow colouring matter or chlorophyll of a granular 
nature, others contain a red fluid. The yellow in the cells next the surface is 
paler and less granular than that in the inner cells. Nothing was then known of 
the use of this particular arrangement, but it has since been ascertained that 
this very substance is eaten by bees, who visit the flowers for the purpose of 
obtaining it, and there is little doubt that in this way the pollen is carried about 
from flower to flower, and fertilisation effected. 
D* Crucer remarks that in Trinidad there are three plants which exhale a 
similar perfume, namely Coryanthes macrantha, Stanhopea grandiflora, and Gloxinia 
maculata, and that all are visited by the same bee, a species of Euglossa. But 
the smell only indicates to them where food may be obtained, and in the case of 
the Orchids, this consists of the cellular tissue at the base of the hypochil, which 
they gnaw away greedily, and which is also relished by some other insects, 
and among them a species of cockroach. The flowers are specially fragrant in 
the early morning, at which time the bees are particularly active. It is well 
known that without the visits of insects, many of these Orchids never produce 
seeds, and here we see the means taken by the plants to secure these visits, 
first by providing for the insects a supply of food, and then exhaling a perfume 
to attract them to the place where it may be found. 
R. A. Roure. 
