182 



STANHOPEA WARDII. 



more lanceolate j petals of a somewhat paler yellow, thinner in texture, spotted like the sepals, 

 lanceolate in form, with an acute apex and a very wavy margin, and so completely revolute 

 that their ends overlap each other hehind the upper sepal. Lip nearly sessile, the lower portion 

 (JiypochiUum) about an inch long, thick and fleshy, the base of which is of a deep yellow-orange 

 colour, with four dark brown blotches, of which the two upper ones have a shining, varnished 

 appearance ; the middle portion (mesochilum) about a quarter of an inch long, constricted, from 

 each side of which is produced a fleshy, incurved, sharp-pointed horn; the upper portion 

 (epichilium) ovate, acute, undivided, concave in the centre, the edges recurved at the base, and, 

 together with the middle portion, of a bright yellow, spotted like the rest of the flower. 

 Column the length of the labellum, the centre green, the margin beautifully transparent, and 

 most delicately spotted. The cavity at the base of the lip is studded with minute tubercles, 

 which, as Dr. Lindley observes, gives it the singularly rich and sparkling appearance of a 

 grotto lined with purple and yellow spar. 



This is one of those extraordinary plants which astonish us no less by the 

 singular forms, than by the splendid colours of their flowers. It is in the collec- 

 tion of George Barker, Esq., of Springfield, who received it from Messrs. Low, 

 of Clapton. A specimen of this beautiful species flowered a short time since 

 with Messrs. Loddiges, of Hackney, and has recently been figured by Dr. 

 Lindley in his magnificent Sertum Orchidaceum ; but, handsome as Messrs. Lod- 

 diges' plant appears to have been, it must have been very inferior to that of Mr. 

 Barker, which is evidently in a more vigorous state, the flowers being larger and 

 more numerous. 



" It differs from S. quadricornis in the lower part of the lip not having a 

 strong horn on the side ; from S. occulata, in the lip being sessile, not stipitate, 

 and a great deal shorter in proportion to the other parts ; and from S. saccata, 

 an unpublished species of Mr. Bateman, in the middle segment of the lip not 

 being 3-lobed, in the sharpness of the petals, and in the form of the horns of the 

 lip. 1 ' — {Lindley s Sert. Orch.) 



The genus Stanhopea was so named in compliment to Earl Stanhope, a dis- 

 tinguished patron of botany. The specific name is in compliment to Mr. Ward. 



Fig. 1, anther case ; 2, anterior view of the pollinia, caudioula, and gland ; 

 3, posterior view of do. ; 4, the same, with a vertical section of one of the pol- 

 linia, showing the lateral fissure. 



