49 
ODONTOGLOSSUM GRANDE. 
(magnificent tooth-tongue.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
GYNANDRIA. MONANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
ORCHIDACEtE. 
Generic Character. — Perianth showy, equal ; sepals and petals narrow, acuminate, free. Labellum 
undivided, destitute of a spur, furnished with a short claw, which is continuous with the base of the 
column ; having a crested spreading plate at the base. Column erect, membranaceous at the margin, 
winged on each side of the apex. Anthers two-celled. Pollen-masses two, solid, with a linear 
caudicula, and a crooked gland. 
Specific Character. — Plant epiphytal. Pseudo-bulbs large, somewhat oblong, flattened or slightly 
concave on one side, with sharp edges, pale bluish-green. Leaves, as at present produced, compara- 
tively small, rather oblong, acuminate. Scape issuing from the base of the pseudo-bulb, bearing 
many flowers, half-drooping. Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, very wavy, whitish, with horizontal 
irregular brown blotches. Petals lateral, oblong, .obtuse, with a small point, less wavy than the 
petals, bright-brown at the lower part, margined and terminated with yellow. Lip concave, roundish, 
white, stained at the base and round the edges with light purple, having two large ear-like appendages, 
and two beautifully mottled tubercles at the lower part. Column yellowish, with two very conspicuous 
auricles. 
A more magnificent plant, with flowers as richly and as variously coloured, or 
one to which our artist has done greater justice, has certainly never before been 
figured in this Magazine ; in consideration of which, we have been led to deviate 
from our now long-established custom of furnishing only single plates, to afford 
adequate room to display its beauties. 
It is altogether a species on which too much praise can hardly be lavished. 
Being strictly epiphytal, and thriving best on a log of wood, suspended from some 
part of the Orchidaceous house, its appearance is most characteristic when in 
blossom ; the copious and enormous flowers causing the scape to assume a half- 
drooping form. But the gorgeous tints and beautiful structure of its inflorescence 
are beyond comparison the most striking features. From five to six inches is the 
usual breadth of the flowers from the tip of each petal ; the sepals are mottled and 
barred like the back of a tiger ; the brown of the petals is of that rich, smooth, 
shining character, as to appear an artificial preparation ; the lip resembles the upper 
portion of a cockle-shell in figure, is most delicately stained, and when held to a 
lamp exhibits a glittering transparency of texture for which other Orchidaceous 
flowers are so remarkable ; while, perhaps, the most pleasing part of all is the 
splendidly mottled tubercles at the base of the lip, which, viewed from the side, 
or almost any position, are in the highest degree beautiful, though, as if to 
attest the fugitiveness of physical beauty, these are the first to fade. 
VOL. VIII.™ -NO. LXXXVII. 
H 
