37 



GOVENIA SUPERBA. 



(Superb Govenia.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



GYNANDRIA "MONANDRIA. ORCHIDACEiE, § VANDEiE. — (Lindl.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER. ' 



Govenia (Lindl.) Perianthium bilabiatum. Sepala lateralia falcata, labello supposita, basi 

 paululum connata, supremo paulb majora. Petala sub sepalo supremo conniventia, breviora, 

 obliqua. Labettum integerrimum, ecalcaratum, concavum, cum basi parum producta columnse 

 articulatum, sessile. Columna basi paulb producta, teres, subfusiformis, apice utrinque 

 marginata. Anthem calyptriformis, 1-locularis. Pollinia 4, solida, incumbentia, caudicula 

 brevi, glandula minore triangulari. — Terrestres. Folia plicata, spicse radicales, multifiorae. 

 Flores speciosi. — Lindl. Gen. et Spec. Orchid. 153. 



Perianth 2-lipped. Lateral sepals sickle-sliaped, placed beneath the labellum, a little 

 connate at the base, rather larger than the upper one. Petals connivent under the upper sepal, 

 shortei', oblique. Lip very entire, without a spur, concave, articulated with the slightly length- 

 ened base of the column, sessile. Column a little lengthened at the base, terete, somewhat 

 spindle-shaped, bordered on both sides at the apex. Anther extinguisher-shaped, 1-celled. 

 Pollen-masses 4, solid, incumbent, with a short caudicula, smaller than the triangular gland. — 

 Terrestrial plants. Leaves folded, spikes radical 3 many-flowered. Flowers handsome. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



G. superba ; labello ovato-cordato, spica cylindracea ; bracteis acuminatis ; foliis oblongis 

 acuminatis basi angustatis scapo sequalibus. — Lindl. 



Lip ovato-cordate, spike cylindrical ; bracteas acuminate ; leaves oblong, acuminate, narrowed 

 at the base, equal to the scape. 



G. superba, Lindl. — Lodd. Pot. Cab. t. 1709. 



Maxillaria superba. — Lexarza et Llave Orchid. Mecc. 2, 13. 



Descb. — Pseudo-bulb subglobose, covered with membranous scales, scarcely appearing above 

 the soil. Scape erect, cylindrical, two and a half feet long. Flowers arranged in a long raceme, 

 of a rich orange colour. Bracteas shorter than the pedicels. Lip scarcely half the length of 

 the sepals, unguiculate, obtuse, channelled on the upper surface. 



This is a very desirable orchidaceous plant, handsome in its general appear- 

 ance, and stately in its mode of growth ; though scarcely, perhaps, entitled to 

 the specific name "superb" as applied to it by its original discoverers, Messrs. 

 Lexarza and La Llave, by whom it was found in Mexico, on the mountains near 



