CCELOGYNE PR/ECOX. 
(Early-flowering Coelogyne.) 
Class. Order. 
GYNANDRIA. MONANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
ORCHID ACEiE. 
Generic Character. — Sepals connivent or spreading, 
free, equal, similar in colour to the petals. Petals 
occasionally resembling the sepals, but sometimes 
linear. Labellum cucullate, frequently three-lobed, 
with depressed streaks or crests. Column erect, free, 
with a winged margin, expanding at the summit, or 
cucullate, with a two-lipped stigma. Anthers two- 
celled, covered, not divisible in the middle ; inserted 
below the apex of the column. Pollen-masses four, 
free, inclining to one side, occasionally cohering. 
Specific Character. — Plant an epiphyte. Root 
perennial, consisting of numerous simple fibres. Stem 
none. Pseudo-bulbs sessile, at first small and awl- 
shaped, clothed with beautifully veined scales imbri- 
cated in two ranks. Leaves, two from the summit 
of a bulb, later than the flowers, lanceolate, entire, 
plaited, ribbed, smooth, each tapering at the base 
into a footstalk. Flowers from separate bulbs, large, 
solitary, on shortish terminal, nearly upright stalks, 
each within a lanceolate membranous sheath. 
Sepals and petals lanceolate, acute, recurved, light 
purple, all nearly equal in length ; sepals narrowest. 
Lip nearly as long as the petals, rolled up into a 
funnel-shape, externally purple, its taper base united 
with the bottom of the style, and a little protuberant, 
not embraced by the petals, its margin spreading, 
fringed, white ; the inside marked with five longitu- 
dinal, rough, elevated yellow lines. Capsule obovate, 
with six furrows and three valves. 
This species is a near relation of the charming C. Wallichiana. It inhabits a 
similar station in the East Indies, and principally differs in being altogether 
more robust, having paler coloured flowers and a much finer fringed labellum. 
Under culture it proves less delicate, requires similar treatment, but grows stronger 
and increases with greater freedom. 
The Ccelogynes are among the most delightful of all Orchids, and of them 
none are more unique than C. Wallichiana, and three or four others closely 
approaching that species, which is probably better known than those to which 
allusion is made. Indeed one of them we are only acquainted with from the figure 
and account of it in Smith’s “ Exotic Botany.” In that work its name is 
Epidendrum pumilum , and that of the plant now figured, E. proecox ; but both 
must - rank with Ccelogynes. E. pumilum has a lip “ internally yellow, hairy, 
beautifully striped, and stained with red,” is a native of Upper Nepal, but, as far as 
we are aware, is yet unknown in collections. 
Coelogyne prcecox is also figured in the work above quoted, which has furnished 
our specific character, and has this account of the species : — “ The plant in the 
annexed plate grows among mosses, on the trunks of trees, or on rocks, in Upper 
Nepal. Its name in the Nawar language, spoken by the subjected original natives 
