Tab. 6273. 
MASDEYALLIA attenuata. 
Native of Costa Rica. 
Nat. Ord. Orchide^e. — Tribe PleurothallidEjE. 
Genus Masdevallia, Ruiz. andPav. [Lindt. Gen. et Sp. Orchid, p. 192). 
Masdevallia attenuata; parvula, dense csespitosa, foliis patulis lineari-obo- 
vatis imo apice 3-denticulatis in petiolum subelongatum angustatis crasse 
coriaceis dorso carinatis facie canaliculatis, scapis 1-floris gracilibus foliis 
brevioribus glaberrimis, bractea ovario breviore obtusa, floribus parvis pedicel- 
latis albidis v. stramineis caudibus flavis, perianthio ^-poll. longocampanulato- 
tubuloso subtus basi gibbo breviter 3-lobo, lobis in caudas patenti-recurvas 
filiformes tubo fere duplo longiores abrupte angustatis, petalis oblongis 
obtusis, labelli inclusi lamina linguseformi apice unguiculato, disco carinis 2 
distantibus medio tumidis percurso, columna apice denticulata. 
M. attenuata, Reich, f. in Gard. Chron., 1871, p.834. 
The genus Masdevallia appears to be coming into cultiva- 
tion as fast as the Indian Dendrobes were some ten to 
twenty years ago, and from a somewhat similar cause to 
that of the Dendrobes. This was owing to the residence of 
two accomplished amateurs (Parish and Benson) in the pre- 
viously unexplored head-quarters of the genus ; in that of 
Masdevallia it was owing to similar explorations of the pre- 
viously little-known mountains of Costa Pica, New Granada, 
and Peru. 
M. attenuatais one of Mr. Yeitch’s introductions, and flowered 
in the "Royal Gardens in December, 1874, from specimens 
presented by Mr. William Saunders. 
Beichenbach remarks that the dried native specimens 
have the perianth glabrous within, whilst that of the fresh 
ones is finely velvety ; the contrary of which is frequent in 
Masdevallias. 
Descb. A small, densely -tufted species, with very nume- 
rous leaves and flowering scapes. Leaves with the petioles 
three to four inches long, spreading and almost recurved ; 
blade one and half to two inches long, by one-third of an 
