39 
ALS (UE OWAUOL, 
BRASSIA BICOLOR rotrn. 
THE TWO-COLOURED BRASSIA. 
BRASSIA. Sepala libera, patentia, angusta, acuminata v. caudata, aequalia v. lateralia longiora. Petala 
sepalo postico similia v. minora. Labellum ad basin columnae sessile, patens, planum, indivisum, sepalis brevius, basi 
bilamellatum. Columna brevis, erecta, aptera, apoda; clinandrium parum prominens, truncatum. Anthera terminalis, 
opercularis, incumbens, valde convexa vy. semiglobosa, unilocularis ; pollinia 2, cerea, obovoidea, inappendiculata, 
anthera dehiscente stipiti plano oblongo v. lineari affixa, glandula varia. 
Herbae epiphyticae, caulibus abbreviatis, pseudobulbo uni-bifoliato terminatis. Folia sub pseudobulbo pauca v. 
ad vaginas reducta, coriacea. Pedunculi sub pseudobulbo laterales v. axillares, simplices. Racemi laxi, saepius pauci- 
flori. Flores mediocres v. majusculi, sepalis interdum longissimis. Bracteae breves v. spathaceae, 
Species circa 20, Americae tropicae a Brasilia usque ad Indiam occidentalem et Mexicum incolae. 
Brassia R. BR. in Arr. Hort. Kew., ed. 2, V, P. 215; BENTH. et HooK. F. Gen. Plant., III, p. 564. 
Brassia bicolor. Pseudobulbi oblongi v. ovoideo-oblongi, subcompressi. Folia lineari-oblonga, subobtusa. Scapus 
erectus, multiflorus. Bracteae ovato-oblongae, subobtusae, 5 mm. longae. Sepala lanceolato-linearia, acuminata, late- 
ralia 6 cm. longa, 5 mm. lata, posticum 5 cm. longum. Petala similia, 4 cm. longa, 4 mm. lata. Labellum lanceolato- 
oblongum, acuminatum, 3.5 cm. longum, I cm, latum, margine paullo undulatum; carinae carnosae, parallelae, glabrae, 
apice dentiformes, dentibus erectis. Columna clavata, 7 mm. longa. 
Brassia bicolor ROLFE, supra. 
he genus Brassia is well known to be a very difficult one, as many of 
the species are very nearly allied, and several are only known from 
: descriptions, which do not always contain the most important charac- 
ters. The present species is a native of Peru, and is one of the introductions of 
Messrs Linpen, L’Horticutrure INTERNATIONALE, Brussels. I have tried in vain 
to identify it either with specimens or descriptions. Judging from a raceme to 
hand, the species is nearly allied to B. Wageneri Reus. Fr. (Bonplandia, II (1854), 
p- 14), next which it may be placed, as it has a similar habit, and the floral details 
have a general resemblance in the two, though there are several important diffe- 
rences. It may be even nearer to B. cryptophthalma Reus. F. (Gard. Chron., 1879, 
II, p. 554), as the colours stated are much like those of the present one, but the 
two dark eye-like spots on the green ground of the column under the anther, 
which suggested the name of B. cryptophthalma, are wanting in the one now 
described, and as other characters are also not in agreement the two cannot 
be identified together. The only alternative seems to be to consider it a new 
species, though personally I should prefer to have identified it with some existing 
description, as it is not satisfactory to keep making new species when there are 
several old ones of which practically nothing is known. There is always a 
lurking suspicion that the old species have been passed over unrecognised. On 
the other hand it must be remembered that many Orchids are local and may 
VG 
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