80 THE ORCHID REVIEW | Marcu, 1915. 
Fa NEOMOOREA IRRORATA. 
N inflorescence of the striking Neomoorea irrorata was included in the 
group staged by Messrs. Charlesworth & Co. at the R.H.S. meeting 
held on February 16th last, and the circumstance reminds us that the 
habitat of the plant, so long unknown, can at last be recorded. There is a 
fine unnamed specimen in the Lehmann Herbarium, which was collected 
by Consul Lehmann in the State of Antioquia in December, 1884. It is 
localised as Rio Nuz, between Pavas and Alto grande, at 1000 to 1500 
métres elevation (No. 4006 of the collection). In Lehmann’s Catalogue 
the locality is given as Woods at San Julian, between the Alto grande and 
Rio Nus, at 500 to 600 métres. The discrepancy may be more apparent than 
real, for Consul Lehmann had a habit of including gatherings from different 
localities under the same number if. he thought them identical, but if 
correct it indicates a considerable altitudinal range. This was over five 
years before the plant appeared in cultivation, but there seems to be no 
connection between the two events. In April, 1890, a plant which had 
been purchased at a sale some years previously, under the name of Lycaste 
gigantea, flowered in the Royal Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, and, proving 
quite distinct, was described as a new genus, under the name of Moorea 
irrorata (Rolfe in Gard. Chron., 1890, ii. p. 7), being dedicated to Mr. F. W. 
Moore, the able Keeperof the Royal Botanic Garden, Glasnevin. There was 
no other clue to its origin, though Messrs. F. Sander & Co. were thought 
to have been the importers. Somewhat later a leaf and inflorescence were 
found in a collection of dried plants presented to Kew by Messrs. Charles- 
worth, Shuttleworth & Co., but this also was unlocalised, and the origin of 
another plant, subsequently recognised in the Brussels Botanic Garden by 
Mr. F. W. Moore, was also unknown. The Glasnevin plant again flowered. 
in March, 1892, and an inflorescence which received a First-class Certificate 
from the R.H.S. was figured (Gard. Chron., 1892, i. p- 489, fig. 73). It was 
also figured at t. 7262 of the Botanical Magazine. The Glasnevin plant was 
divided, and part sent to Kew, where it*fowered in April, rgo1. It is this 
plant, reduced to about a third natural size, which is reproduced in our 
present figure. The name was changed to Neomoorea (O.R., xii. p- 3°): 
on the discovery that Moorea had been previously applied to the well-known 
Pampas grass. The genus is allied to Houlletia, but differs in various 
structural details. The lip, owing to the narrow front lobe and the 
expanded side lobes veined with blackish purple, bears a_ striking 
resemblance to a butterfly attached by its head. The sepals and petals 
have an expanse of about two inches, and are of a curious shade of orange 
