77 



MYANTHUS BARBATUS, mr. IMMACULATUS. 



{Bearded Flywort, unspotted variety.) 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. ORCH I D A CE/E, § VANDE.E. — (Lindl.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Myanthus (Lindl.) Perianthium explanatum. Sepala libera, sequalia, lateralibus paululum 

 ascendentibus. Petala conforniia, angustiora, sepalo supremo supposita. Ldbelhim planum, 

 obovatum, 3-dentatum, sepalis brevius. Columna erecta, teres, basi bicirrhosa, postice ad cardi- 

 nem antherse louge producta. Anthera et pollinia Cataseti. Epiphytce, Cataseti omninb 

 vegetatione. 



Perianth explanate. Sepals free, equal, the lateral ones a little ascending. Petals similar 

 in form, narrower, placed under the upper sepal. Lip flat, obovate, 3-toothed, shorter than the 

 sepals. Column erect, terete, with two tendril-like appendages at the base, posteriorly much 

 elongated at its attachment to the anther. Anther and Pollen-masses as in Catasetum. Epiphytes. 

 with the vegetation altogether of Catasetum. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



M. Barbatus (Lindl.). Ldbello in pilis succulentis barbae-formibus dissoluto basi supra 

 unicorni. 



Lip divided into succulent, beard-shaped hairs, with a single horn above at the base. 

 Myanthus barbatus. — Lindl. Bot. Reg. t. 1778. 

 Myanthus barbatus ; var. labello albo. — Bot. Mag. 3514. 

 Myanthus barbatus ; var. immaculatus. — Tab. Nostr. 37. 



Descr. — Pseudo-bulb ovato-oblong, from four to five inches long, having the apex covered 

 with the sheathing bases of the leaves. Leaves membranous, dark green, oblong-lanceolate, 

 somewhat plaited tapering towards the base. Scape smooth, terete, springing from the base of 

 the pseudo-bulb, recurved, many-flowered. Flowers bilabiate, spreading. Sepals and petals 

 linear-oblong, somewhat concave, externally of a rich dark green, dark purple within ; upper 

 sepal in close contact with the petals, and nearly erect ; lateral sepals in an equal degree deflexed. 

 Lip somewhat articulated with the column, linear-oblong, shorter than the sepals, bent and 

 saccated in the middle, copiously fringed with white, fleshy hairs, and bearing at the base a 

 white, fleshy, horn-like appendage. Column semi-terete, with a greatly elongated apex, against 

 which lies, in close apposition, the anther-case, which has a corresponding acuminated point. 

 Pollen-masses, with the caudicula and gland, large as in Catasetum, and springing elastically 

 from their position. 



This is a beautiful and highly curious plant, the flowers of which (like many of 

 the tribe) have somewhat the appearance of insects. It is a native of Demerara, 



