22 8 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



MASDEVALLIA XIPHERES AND ITS ALLIES 



It is interesting to note that another species of the remarkable M. muscosa 

 group has appeared in cultivation, namely M. Xipheres, which was described 

 by Reichenbach, in 1877 {Linnaa, xli, p. 12), from dried specimens 

 collected by Roezl. It has been re-introduced by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., 

 and seems to have passed for M. muscosa till the two flowered together, 

 when the marked differences between them were noticed. Before pointing 

 out its characters it may be as well to outline the history of the group. 

 Four species are now known. The first was M. Echidna, described by 

 Reichenbach in 1855 (Bonplandia, iii, p. 69), from dried specimens collected 

 by Wagener at Alto de S. Francisco, Columbia, at 6000 feet altitude. It 

 was said to have the peduncles densely covered with subulate-linear papillae, 

 and the ovary bristly. It is still known only from the description. In 

 1875 a second species was described, from dried specimens collected by 

 Shuttleworth, in New Grenada, and sent to Mr. Bull, namely M. muscosa 

 (Rchb. f. in Card. Chron., 1875, iii, p. 460). It was described as "a very 

 queer little thing, reminding one of a Moss Rose by its stiff-haired peduncle 

 and ovary." In 1877 two others were added by Reichenbach, from dried 

 specimens collected by Roezl, namely M. erinacea (Linnaa, xli, p. n), and 

 the one mentioned above, and at this time the section Echidna; was estab- 

 lished for their reception, though its characters were not indicated. M. 

 erinacea appeared in cultivation in 1881, in the establishment of Mr. W. 

 Bull, at Chelsea, and was noted by Reichenbach (Card. Chron., 1881, xv. 

 p. 104), though it seems to have been subsequently lost. M. muscosa 

 afterwards appeared, flowering at Kew in May, 1887, when the sensitive 

 character of its lip was discovered. Mr. Bean, then foreman of the Orchid 

 department, was the first to notice something remarkable about the flowers,, 

 the lips being sometimes up and sometimes down, hence he suspected that they 

 were sensitive, a surmise which proved correct on being tested (Gard. Chron.,. 

 1887, i, p. 836). The question was further worked out in detail by Prof. 



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been figured in the Botanical Ma^a-iuc it. 7664). 



M. Xipheres is the third species of the group which has appeared in 

 cultivation, and Messrs. Sander do not appear to know its origin, for they 

 remark that they have two plants under the name of M. muscosa, and that 

 the one with brown flowers is much more vigorous than the other. It may, 

 however, be remarked that a dried specimen from one of their collectors,, 

 which was sent to Kew by Messrs. Sander in 1890, belongs to the same 

 species, and on comparing the materials with Reichenbach's description I 

 have identified it as above. A leaf and scape of each species are sent. The 

 leaf of M. Xipheres measures 4 inches long, by 8 lines broad, and is wholly 



