152 



MAXILLARIA AUREO -FUL V A. 



This handsome and interesting plant is in the collection of Messrs. John 

 Pope and Sons, of Hundsworth nursery, near Birmingham. Our drawing was 

 made some months ago, at which time we gave a brief character in the Flor. Cab., 

 and named it M. stenopetala. We perceived, however, immediately afterwards, 

 that the plant had been published a short time before by Sir W. J. Hooker, 

 under the name of M. aureo-fulva, which name, of course, must have the pri- 

 ority. As Sir William admits that he had not seen the plant, he cannot be 

 acquainted with its peculiarity as regards its pollen-masses and caudiculse. In 

 the structure of its flowers, and in its general habit, it has the appearance of a 

 Maxillaria, while the two distinct caudiculse would seem to remove it to Bifrenaria. 

 Whether the genus Bifrenaria will be retained, or whether it will ultimately 

 form a section of Maxillaria, is a question to which, we have reason -to believe, 

 Professor Lindley is directing his attention. 



The plant in question is a native of the Organ Mountains, and was found 

 growing on the branches of trees. 



The generic name, Maxillaria, was first given by the authors of the Flora 

 Peruviana to certain plants of the Orchidaceous tribe, in which the labellum, 

 when looked at sideways, resembles the maxillae or jaws of some insects. 



Fig. 1, a flower, spread open to show its structure. Fig. 2, the pollen- 

 masses, with the two caudiculas. Fig. 3, a horizontal section of one of the 

 bipartible pollen-masses, the anterior being the largest. Fig. 4, the lip. Fig 5, 

 anther case. 



