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ODONTOGLOSSUM CORDATUM. 
Class. 
GYNANDRIA. 
( Cordate-lipped Tooth-Tongue.) 
Natural Order. 
ORCHIDACEiE, 
Order. 
MONANDRIA. 
Seneric Character. — Perianth showy, equal ; sepals 
1 petals narrow, acuminate, free. Labellum undi- 
ed, destitute of a spur, furnished with a short claw, 
ich is continuous with the base of the column, 
ring a crested spreading plate at the base. Column 
ct, membranous at the margin, winged on each 
e of the apex. Anthers two-celled. Pollen-masses 
3, solid, with a linear eaudicle, and a crooked gland. 
Specific Character.— Plant an epiphyte. Pseudo- 
bulbs oblong, compressed, two-leaved. Leaves broadly 
oblong, smooth, acute. Scape scaly, short, spreading. 
Racemes distichous. Bracts ovate, acuminate, mem- 
branaceous. Sepals and petals linear-lanceolate, very 
acuminate. Labellum cordate, acuminate, entire, two- 
lobed at the summit. 
The species now presented belongs to the third “ Xanthochilum, stained lip ” 
ction of Dr. Bindley s arrangement of the genus in the “ Botanical Register ” for 
st year. In the section, “the species with a three-lobed lip comes first, and then 
ose which have an entire lip are stationed in the following order : viz., such as 
ive obtuse sepals and petals ; then such as have them acute ; and last come the 
ecies with very much acuminated sepals and petals.” Our subject belongs to 
ose characterised by the last features ; further, and indeed we need not have 
tinted to this, of its specific difference or general character, our plate saves us the 
ouble of writing. 
Modern botanical publications do not contain a figure of this fine plant : the 
>lume for 1838, of the work previously quoted, first speaks of it as being then, the 
’st time, flowered by George Barker, Esq,, of Birmingham, who imported it from 
r exico, where it is a native. The drawing for the accompanying plate, through the 
vour of our usual permission, was prepared from a specimen in the collection, so 
mous for the superior manner in which it is cultivated, of S. Rucker, Esq., of 
Wandsworth, which flowered in January last. 
There is an idea, a too general one, respecting this very interesting tribe, that a 
i’eat degree of heat, and a proportionate amount of moisture is indispensable to the 
elfare of all its members ; it is true of many, that such is essential to their welfare, 
at it is not at all required to the extent commonly understood. A very small 
lant of 0. corclatum, received by us some time ago, was secured to the rhizoma of 
Fern, and placed in a situation where it was as cool and as much exposed to 
