SEPTEMBER, 1908.] TRE ORCHID REVIEW. 283 
CATASETUM FIMBRIATUM. 
Two remarkably distinct forms of Catasetum fimbriatum have flowered in 
the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford, Dorking, of which 
examples have been forwarded by Mr. White. One has the usual broad, 
strongly fimbriate lip, with the disc and inside of the sac deep yellow, the 
other has the lip entirely light green, with a few brown dots. The latter 
was obtained from Messrs. Sander & Sons, in 1889, as_ the variety 
platypterum, which had just been described by Reichenbach (Gard. Chron., 
1889, i. p. 168). The author described the lip as garlic green, adding: 
‘“* This fine variety has larger flowers than any I have seen before,” but I 
see nothing exceptional in this respect. The plant figured in the Botanical 
Magazine (t. 7158) was also obtained with the same name, but is not quite 
identical, for it has a little yellow on the disc of the lip. The species is 
very variable, and when Reichenbach described the variety fissum he 
remarked: ‘‘ Cataseta are such polymorphic creatures that one could name 
new species by herds. Yet—post equitem sedet atro cura—you would have to 
give new names to many individuals.” 
The species was originally described and figured by E. Morren, in 1848, 
under the name of Myanthus fimbriatus (Ann. de Gand., iv. p. 453, t- 23), 
from a plant which flowered in the collection of M. L. de Hamis, of 
Antwerp. It was exhibited at one of the Ghent meetings in September of 
that year, and was awarded a Gold Medal. The flowers are described as 
green and white, but shortly afterwards another plant flowered in the 
collection. of M. Heynderyez, the flowers of which were described as rose 
and yellow. The colour of the figure agrees with neither, and may be 
described as whitish and dull purple, but the shape is quite characteristic. 
The country was not stated. Lindley afterwards called it Catasetum 
fimbriatum (Paxt. Fl. Gard., i. p. 124, fig. 81). 
Several varieties have been described. First came fissum (Rchb. f. in 
Gard. Chron., 1881, i. p. 498), which flowered in the collection of J. Day, 
Esq., in September, 1881, when it was also tigured (Day Orch. Draw., xxvii. 
t.45). It has a light yellow, deeply fringed lip, and rather dark markings 
on the sepals and petals. A plant which afterwards flowered in the 
collection of M. de Meulenaere was figured under the same name (Rev. Hort. 
Belge, 1888, p. 273, with plate). Next came viridulum (Rchb. f. in Gard. 
Chron., 1887, ii. p. 272), from a plant which flowered with Messrs. Sander 
& Sons. It was said to have been received from Mt. Roraima, but the 
point requires confirmation. It comes rather near the original type. Two 
years later came platypterum, which has already been mentioned. The 
variety Cogniauxii (L. Lind. in Journ. d. Orch., vi. p. 282), was introduced 
by Messrs. Linden, it is said, from the Orinoco district. It was subse- 
