68 «THE ORCHID REVIEW. [Marcu, rg1t 
the end of the genus as known only from description, together with another 
imperfectly-known Brazilian species, namely, B. melanopoda, Klotzsch. 
The latter was described, in 1855 (Otto & Dietr. Allg. Gartenz., xxxiii. 
p- 105), from’a specimen which flowered in the establishment of Herr 
Allardt, at Berlin. The three agree well in their small stature, broadly 
flabellate lip, neatly fringed all round the front margin, and in having 
numerous radiating rose-purple veins on a white ground. Reichenbach 
(Walp. Ann., vi. p. 549), reduced B. melanopoda to B. racemosa, Lindl., a 
-. view clearly erroneous, that species having a totally different lip.  B. 
‘melanopoda is a miniature species, with a tuft of angular pseudobulbs, 4in. 
to jin. high; rather narrow leaves, some 2in. to 4in. high ; short slender 
_Scapes, bearing one or very few flowers, with light green sepals and petals, 
about din. long, and sometimes tinged with brown; and the lip as already - 
described, with an oblong crest and a short obtuse spur. R.A.R. 
THE EVOLUTION OF THE ORCHIDACEZ. 
(Continued from vol. xviii. p. 325.) 
THE subtribe Maxillariez is placed next to Stanhopiee by Bentham, who 
remarks: “ The genera here included are all American, and epiphytal, and 
have the mentum of Cyrtopodiez ; but the leaves are coriaceous, fleshy, or 
herbaceous, without prominent parallel ribs, and the peduncles or scapes 
are almost always single-flowered. The rhizome either bears pseudobulbs 
with one or two leaves, or is produced into ascending or erect stems, with 
closely distichous, often equitant leaf-sheaths, and more or less developed 
lamine. Of the nine genera we have referred to it, two or three of the 
smaller are as yet rather doubtful in their affinities; generally they connect 
in some measure the Cyrtopodiez and the Stanhopiee with the Oncidiez.”’ 
The doubtful genera were probably Stenia and Schlimmia, which we 
have already excluded, and Clowesia, which is simply a_ species of 
Catasetum. This leaves Maxillaria, Camaridium, Ornithidium, Dichza, 
Scuticaria, and Mormolyce, to which must be added Trigonidium, placed by 
Bentham in the subtribe Oncidiez, and Chrysocycnis, in Stanhopiez, where 
they are clearly out of place. ‘ 
Maxillaria is the principal genus of the group, and contains about 100 
species, varying much in habit. The peduncles are axillary and single- 
flowered, the sepals and petals narrow, and the lip articulated to the short 
foot of the column, and mobile. Some of the Species are caulescent, when 
they much resemble Camaridium, a nearly allied genus of some 20 species, 
some of which are without pseudobulbs. Ornithidium is another allied 
genus, of some 20 species, having much smaller flowers, and the foot of the 
column very short. All three genera are widely diffused in Tropical America. 
Trigonidium is much like Maxillaria in habit, but is markedly different in 
