THE ORCHID REVIEW. 163 
ments are unusually short and rounded, the petals measuring 14 inches 
across, by 2} inches long, and the front lobe of the lip nearly as broad as 
the petals. The flowers are more open than in the type, and there is very 
little orange on the disc of the lip. A photograph shows the plant bearing 
five flowers. 
A very large flower of Dendrobium nobile comes from the collection of 
F. H. Moore, Esq., of Liverpool. It resembles a well-developed D. nobile 
nobilius in shape, but is a little lighter in colour. The plants of this type 
are known as D. nobile giganteum. 
A very beautiful form of Cattleya Mossie from the collection of James 
Davidson, Esq., Summerville, Dumfries, has the orange-yellow in the 
throat and the markings in front very well developed, and is equally good 
in other respects. 
ait aappigten 
MEIRACYLLIUM GEMM#. 
Tuis very interesting little plant has ppeared in the blisk of 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., of St. Albans. It was originally described by 
Reichenbach in 1869 as ‘‘a little vegetable gem, with a creeping rhizome, 
erect leaves, like those of a Sophronitis cernua, and beautifully amethyst- 
coloured flowers standing singly. It came from Mexico, and has lately 
flowered in — Saundersian collection” (Gard. Chron., 1869, p. 988). 
The to S itis cernua is remarkable; indeed, until I 
examined the pollen I tock it fora new species of that genus, but the 
flowers are usually borne in racemes, in some cases with as many as five 
each. A poor figure is given in Xenia Orchidacea, III., p. 13, t. 209, figs. 1 
and 2. Two other species of this curious little genus are known, both being 
natives of Central America. Its affinity has been the subject of some dis- 
pute. Reichenbach, who had not then seen the pollen, originally described 
it as a genus of Vandez with no affinities, and the habit of Sophronitis. 
Bentham afterwards ferred it Pl hall placing it next to 
Octomeria, and Pfitzer again removed it to Lelie, placing it next to 
Sophronitis on account of its habit—a position, however, which is certainly 
erroneous. Bentham placed it in Pleurothallee with some hesitation, re- 
marking that it agreed in habit, but the pollen was more like Eria. The 
remark, however, would apply just as well to Octomeria, and I believe this 
is the real position of the genus. The eight pollen masses are attached in 
a bundle to a common caudicle, but not toa distinct stipes and gland, of 
rostellar origin, as in the Vandez, so that both habit and structure place the 
plant near Octomeria. The plant was awarded a Botanical Certificate at 
the recent Temple Show. R. A. R. 
