130 THE ORCHID REVIEW.  [Juty-Aucust, ro1g 
von 
Xe 
bal THE GENUS HYALOSEMA. 
HE striking Bulbophyllum grandiflorum, long regarded as anomalous in 
the genus, is the original species of a curious little group, to which the 
sectional name of Hyalosema was given by Schlechter, in allusion to the 
window-like markings on the dorsal sepal. Several additional species with 
the same general character have since appeared, and the group is so different 
in appearance from ordinary Bulbophyllums that we have wished that some 
distinguishing generic character could be found. On examining an 
additional species at Kew, before the flower wds fully expanded, we noticed 
that the sepals were not valvate as in other Bulbophyllums, but that the 
lateral sepals in the bud state are applied to the sides of the dorsal sepal, 
which latter is conduplicate in its upper part. The essential difference 
between a valvate and an imbricate arrangement of the sepals has been 
recognised as of generic value in other groups of orchids, and with the other 
anomalous characters will serve to separate Hyalosema generically. 
Hyalosema resembles Bulbophyllum and other allied. genera in habit, but 
has single-flowered scapes, and ample, submembranous sepals, with an 
imbricate arrangement as above described. In most of the species the 
petals are remarkably small, and broader than long, so that they appear 
absent until looked for very closely. The lip is much flattened laterally, 
with an acute upper margin, and a few basal hairs, at all events in the living 
Species now available. The column wings are very broad and rounded 
instead of tooth-like. : 
HYALOSEMA GRANDIFLORUM, Rolfe, which is the type of the genus, is a 
native of New Guinea, and was originally described and figured by Blume 
under the name of Bulbophyllum grandiflorum (Rumphia, iv. p. 42, t. 195, 
fig. 3, t. 199, fig. B), from materials collected by Zippel, who in 1828 
accompanied an expedition commissioned by the Dutch Government to 
establish a civil and military settlement in the New Guinea Archipelago. 
acquired in 1887 by Sir Trevor Lawrence, without record of origin. It 
flowered in the collection in March, 1895, and received a Botanical Certificate 
from the R.H.S. under the name of Bulbophyllum burfordiense, but on being 
sent to Kew was immediately recognised by the writer as the long-lost B.° 
gtandiflorum. Later it was figured from a plant that flowered at Kew (Bot. 
Mag t. 7787). Even this remarkable species did not escape confusion, for 
the name was applied by Reichenbach to the following very distinct plant. 
H. LoNGIsEpatum, Rolfe. Bulbophyllum longisepalum, Rolfe in Orch. 
Rev, iii., p. 105. B. srandiflorum, Rchb. f. in Lindenia, iii, p. 25, t. 108 (not 
-of Blume).—This also was introduced from New Guinea by Messrs. Linden, 
