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PERISTERIA GUTTATA. 



(Spotted Dove-flower. ,) 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. ORCHIDACEJE § VANDEJJ. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Peristeria (Hooker). Perianthium globosum. Sepala basi subconnata, concava, basi labello 

 connata. Petala conformia, pauld minora. Labellum erectum, medio articulatum; dimidio 

 superiore obovato truncato, medio pulvinato, inferiore bilobo columna continuo. Columna 

 erecta, semiteres, basi magna dilatata. Antliera ecristata, bilocularis. Pollinia 2, postice fissa, 

 glanduld sessili nuda rostellum involvente. Herba subterrestris, pseudobulbosa. Folia plura, 

 plicata. Scapi vaginati, radicales, multiflori. Flores speciosi. Lindl. gen. et sp. Orch. p. 160. 



Perianth globose. Sepals somewhat connate at the base, concave, united at the base with 

 the labellum. Petals similar in form, a little smaller. Labellum erect, articulated in the 

 middle ; the upper half obovate, truncate, cushioned in the middle, the lower half 2-lobed, 

 continuous with the column. Column erect, semiterete, with a large dilated base. Anther 

 crestless, 2-celled. Pollen-masses 2, divided posteriorly, with a sessile naked gland covering 

 the rostellum. Plant rather terrestrial, with pseudobulbs. Leaves many, folded. Scapes 

 sheathed, radical, many-flowered. Flowers handsome. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



P. guttata ; scapo brevi, pendulo, multifloro ; racemo denso, secundo ; labelli dimidio inferiore 

 disco crasso concavo, lobis lateralibus vix conspicuis, superiore ovato margine denticulato apice 

 integro abrupte incurvo, intus tuberculis minutissimis obsito ; columna, aptera. 



Scape short, pendulous, many-flowered ; raceme dense, secund, the inferior half of the lip 

 with a thick concave disc, lateral lobes scarcely perceptible, the superior or middle lobe with a 

 finely-toothed margin, the apex abruptly incurved, the inner surface covered with very minute 

 tubercles ; column without wings. 



Descr. — Pseudobulb ovate-oblong, compressed, shining, from 3 to 4 inches long, slightly 

 sheathed at the base with membranaceous scales, and bearing generally at the summit three 

 broadly-lanceolate, acuminate, plaited leaves, dilated and sheathing at the base, about a foot in 

 length. Scape short, rigid, clothed with short, ovate scales, and bearing on the upper side eight 

 or nine closely-arranged flowers. Flowers erect, fleshy, ventricose, of a pale salmon colour, 

 copiously marked within and without with spots of a reddish purple or morone colour, and 

 emitting a powerful, peculiar, and agreeable odour. Upper sepal ovate-oblong, obtuse, lateral 

 ones enlarged and tumid below, embracing and united with the base of the labellum. Labellum 

 jointed in the middle, the upper portion, or lobe, erect, purplish at the apex, lying against 

 and partly embracing the column the inferior portion concave, with a fleshy border extend- 

 ing from the joint to the base of the column. Column thick, semiterete, spotted, much dilated 



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