73 
LiELIA ANCEPS. 
(two-edged l^lia.) 
class. order. 
GYNANDRIA. MONANDRIA, 
NATURAL ORDER. 
ORCHIDE^. 
Generic Character. — Segments of the perianth spread wide open. Sepals lanceolate, equal. Petals 
rather larger than the sepals. Lip resupinate, three-lobed, wrapped round the column. Column 
fleshy, destitute of wings. Pollen masses, eight. 
Specific Character. — Pseudo-bulbs one-leaved, ovate, slightly quadrangular, occurring at regular 
intervals on a stout scaly rhizoma. Flowers single, or in pairs, seated at the extremity of a two- 
edged imbricated scape, one and a half foot long. Ovarium covered with a viscid matter. Sepals 
and Petals lanceolate, acuminate, of a beautiful rosy-lilac' colour. Lip with the lateral lobe 
rounded off, the centre projecting considerably, acute, resembling the richest purple velvet, the 
interior of the lip beautifully marked with crimson and yellow veins, traversed longitudinally by a 
thick fleshy ridge, which at its extremity divides into three points. The flowers are remarkably 
durable, and yield an agreeable honey-like odour. 
For the opportunity of figuring this splendid species of Orchideae we are 
indebted to James Bateman, Esq., who kindly permitted our artist to make the 
drawing- from a fine plant, which produced its large rich blossoms, in his extensive , 
collection of Epiphytes at Knypersley, some time ago. 
It was imported from Mexico by the Messrs. Loddiges, and flowered in their 
collection in December, 1834, when a drawing was made for the Bot. Reg. 
See t. 1731. 
It is impossible to convey a faithful idea of the exquisite richness of the 
flowers of this valuable plant, for the extreme dehcacy of the texture of the 
petals and sepals, and the rich deep glowing purple of the lip defy description ; 
and we do not hesitate to say that they are equal, if not superior, to any thing 
known among the Orchideous tribe. The plant is thus spoken of by Dr. Lindley,— 
" When we say that this plant is equal in beauty to any of the Cattleyas ; that 
it has a far more graceful mode of growth, in consequence of the length of its 
slender scaly stems, from the point of which the flowers swing ; and that it difl'uses 
VOL. IV NO. XL. L 
