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BRASSIA COCHLEATA. 



{Spoon-lipped Brassia.) 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



GTNANDRIA MONANDRIA. ORCHID ACE^E § VANDEJ). (Lindl.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Brassia (R. Bkown). Perianthium explanatum. Sepala et petala angusta, libera, sequalia ; 

 his nunc minoribus. Labellum planum, indivisum, ecalcaratum, columna continuum, basi bi- 

 cristatum. Columna libera, aptera, nana. Anther a 1-locularis. Pollinia 2, postice sulcata, 

 caudicula brevi, glanduld crassa. Epiphytae pseudobulbosas. Folia pergamenea. Scapi radicales, 

 vaginati. Flores speciosi, spicati. {Lindl. Gen. et Spec. Orch.) 



Perianth explanate. Sepals and petals narrow, free, equal ; the latter sometimes smaller. 

 Lip plane, undivided, spurless, continuous with the column, two-crested at the base. Column 

 free, wingless, dwarf. Anther 1-celled. Pollen-masses 2, furrowed posteriorly, with a short 

 caudicula, and a thick gland. Pseudobulbous epiphytes. Leaves of the consistence of parch- 

 ment. Scapes radical, sheathed. Flowers handsome, spiked. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



B. cochleata; sepalis petalisque subaequalibus, linearibus, acuminatis; labello elongato-coch- 

 leato, acuminato. 



Sepals and petals somewhat equal, linear, acuminate ; lip elongated, spoon-shaped, acuminate. 



Descb. — Pseudobulbs ovate-oblong, furrowed, the base clothed with sheathing leaves, the 

 apex bearing two leaves. Leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, keeled. Scape racemose, pendulous. 

 Sepals and petals plane (not undulated), pale green, elegantly marked with [brown. Lip elon- 

 gated, striated, marked with white and brown dots, somewhat constricted in the middle, then 

 forming a spoon-like cavity, and terminating in a lengthened, somewhat recurved apex. 

 Bracteas small. 



Among orchidaceous plants, the genus Brassia is remarkable for the spider- 

 like shape of its flowers, which are no less curious than elegant. The present 

 plant differs more particularly from the species hitherto known, in the spoonlike 

 shape of its lip. They are all natives of America within the tropics. B. coch- 

 leata is a native of Demarara, where it was found on the banks of the Demarara 

 river, some forty miles from its mouth, by Mr. Henchman, of Messrs. Lowes' 1 , 

 Clapton Nursery, from whom it was received in the autumn of 1834, by John 



