119 



AERIDES ODORATUM. 



(Fragrant Air-plant.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. 



GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Aerides (Lour.) Perianthium patens vel clausum. Sepala lateralia, basi ssepius obliqua, 

 cum ungue producto columnae connata. Labellum cum ungue columna? articulatum, saccatum 

 vel calcaratum, trilobum : lobis lateralibus nanis ; limbo cucullato, aut subulato, aut abbreviato- 

 tumido, aut subfomicato. Columna in ovarium recumbens, brevis, aptera. Anthera bilocularis. 

 Pollinia 2, postice sulcata ; caudicula lata, vel filiformi, glandula. peltata, subrotunda. — Herbse 

 epiphytes caulescentes. Caules subsimplices, radicantes. Folia disticha, coriacea, aut subcarnosa. 

 Flores racemosi, vel spicati. (Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orch.) 



Perianth open or closed. Lateral sepals generally oblique at the base, connate with the 

 lengthened claw of the column. Lip articulated with the claw of the column, saccate or 

 spurred, 3-lobed : lateral lobes small ; limb hooded, either awl-shaped or short and tumid, or 

 somewhat arched. Column resting on the ovarium, short, wingless. Anther 2-celled. Pollen- 

 masses 2, furrowed behind ; caudicula broad or thread-shaped, gland peltate, somewhat round. — 

 Plants epiphytic, caulescent. Stems rather simple, rooting. Leaves in two opposite rows 

 (distichous), leathery or rather fleshy. Flowers racemose or spiked. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 

 A. odoratum; foliis fiaccidis apice obtusis obliquis, racemis pendulis multifloris foliis 

 longioribus, labelli cucullati infundibularis laciniis lateralibus erectis cuneatis rotundatis inter- 

 media ovata acuta inflexa, calcare conico incurvo. (Lindl.) 



Leaves flaccid, obtuse and oblique at the apex, racemes pendulous, many- flowered, longer 

 than the leaves ; lip hooded, funnel-shaped, with the lateral lobes erect, wedge-shaped, rounded, 

 the middle lobe ovate, acute, indexed, spur conical, incurved. 



Aerides odoratum. Lour. Flor. Cochinch. 525. — Lindl. Gen. et Sp. — R. Brown in Hort. 

 Kew. 5. 212. 



Aerides cornutum. Roxb. Hort. Beng. p. 63. — Lindl. Bot. Reg. t. 1485. 



Descr. — Stem branched, somewhat thick, throwing out long, tortuous, aerial roots. Leaves 

 thick, leathery, with an oblique, obtuse apex, arranged in a distichous manner. Bractece, 'short, 

 ovate, rigid. Flowers of a delicate flesh-colour, tinted with rose, exceedingly fragrant. Sepals 

 spreading ; the upper one ovate, obtuse, a little narrowed at the base, lower ones united with 

 the base of the column. Petals spreading, corresponding ha form with the upper sepal. Lip 

 funnel-shaped, spurred, articulated with the foot of the column, and divided into three converg- 

 ing lobes : lateral lobes erect, rounded, middle lobe linear-lanceolate : spur conical, incurved. 

 Column short, much lengthened at the base, channelled, hidden by the converging lobes of the 

 lip. Clinandrium rostrate. Anther-case rostrate. Pollen-masses globose, gland obovate. 



NATURAL ORDER. 



0B.CHIDACE.3D § VANDEiE. 



