AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 439 



PONERA. 



A small genus (five or six species) of epiphytal Orchids 

 belonging to the tribe Epidciidrcie, and natives of Central 

 America and Mexico. Lindley's name is from poncros, 

 miserable, and is in allusion to the appearance of the 

 species. Flowers rather small, axillar)-, in tufts upon 

 the j-oung leafy or the old leafless stems ; sepals erect, 

 flesh}', the lateral ones largest, and connate \\-ith the 

 elongated foot of the column ; petals free ; lip naked, 

 two-lobed, wedge-shaped, articulate with the foot of the 

 column, which is short and terete ; anthers membranous, 

 four-celled, containing four pollen-masses, adhering in 

 pairs b}' means of two powdery caudicles. Leaves 

 alternate, in two rows, almost grass-like. The species 

 which are rarely seen in cultivation, require warm 

 intermediate-house treatment, with cooler conditions during 

 the resting season. P. juncifolia {Lindl.) and P. pro- 

 lifera {Rchb. f.) are the two species sometimes found. 



PRESCOTTIA. 



In this genus of warm-house, terrestrial Orchids, belong- 

 ing to the tribe Ncottiea, are to found upwards of a 

 score of species, but only one (P. stachyodes) (Lindl.) is 

 likely to be found e\-en in botanic collections. The name 

 given by Lindlej' is in compliment to John D. Frescott, 

 a botanist of St. Petersburgh. Flowers small, spicate, 

 sub-sessile ; lateral sepals connate with the lip into a sac ; 

 lip fleshy, cucullate, and entire, with a couple of ears 

 at its base. Leaves clustered at the base of the stem, or 

 radical, sessile, or long-stalked, small or ample, mem- 

 branous. The species are nati\-es of tropical America. 



PROMEN/EA (Lindl.). This is now included under 

 Zygopetalum. 



PTEROSTYLIS. 



Robert Brown founded this rather large genus of green- 

 house, terrestrial Orchids, belonging to the tribe Ncottiar. 

 The name from ptcron, a wing, and stylos, a column, is in 

 allusion to the broadly-winged column. The species are 



