84 Report on New and Rare Plants, $c. 



It is a bulbous-rooted parasite, with many nerved, plaited, 

 lanceolate leaves, and flowers of a green colour, growing in 

 a strong spike, shorter than the leaves. The three upper 

 segments of the flower are erect, the two lateral spreading ; 

 the labellum is spread open, with a little pouch at the bot- 

 tom, and has its whole surface covered with gland-like tu- 

 bercles. The columna has a pair of cirrhi in front. I have 

 no hesitation in referring it to the genus Catasetum, notwith- 

 standing the many anomalies in its structure. It may be thus 

 defined: 



C. cristatum; sepalis patentibus : superioribus conniven- 

 tibus, labello cristato saccato expanso. 



XXXII. Prescotia plantaginea. Lindhy. 

 Another most singular plant, sent from Rio de Janeiro by 



Mr. Forbes, where it was found growing upon the decayed 

 stems of fallen trees. The plant resembles, in foliage, an 

 Ophrys, in flowers some kinds of Malaxis or Dienia ; the 

 latter are formed in a cylindrical compact spike ; are of 

 an herbaceous green colour, and remain long after their 

 functions have ceased. The plant is quite new, very remark- 

 able, and not to be confounded with any other kind. It is 

 cultivated easily in the stove. It is figured in Dr. Hooker's 

 Exotic Flora, tab. 115, where, in the letter press, it is called 

 plantaginifolia, and upon the face of the plate, plantaginea, 

 which latter is the name originally given to the plant. 



XXXIII. Dendrobium squalens. Lindhy. 



Sent with the last from Rio de Janeiro, by Mr. Forbes. 

 This new and curious species of Dendrobium was found grow- 

 ing upon decayed trees in woods. The leaves shoot up from 



