33 
MORMODES luxatum. 
Dislocated Mormodes. 
GYNANDRIA MONANDR IA. 
Nat. ord. Orchidacea; § Vande^e. 
MORMODES. Supra ml. 22.fol. 1861. 
M. luxatum. (See the enumeration further on.) 
The genus Mormodes has so entirely the habit of Catase 
turn that we have no means of distinguishing those two genera 
except when in flower. At that time Mormodes presents 
some peculiarities of so strange a nature that, if they were 
not found constant in several distinct species, we should he 
tempted to regard them as monstrosities. In particular the 
column, instead of being straight and standing erect in the 
centre of the flower, is bent over to one side, just as if it had 
been subjected to violence. There is also a great irregularity 
of direction and proportion in the parts that surround the 
column. 
No where are these singularities so strongly marked as in 
the plant now before us, whose sepals and petals, instead of 
standing in an obviously alternate position with respect to 
each other, are so completely broken up and twisted out of 
their places that they can hardly be recognised, and the whole 
floral apparatus is as it were dislocated. For example, of the 
three sepals, the back one is placed almost opposite one of 
the petals ; the other petal is shifted to one side, so as to 
stand half behind the first ; and the lip, instead of being 
stationed exactly between the two petals and two lateral sepals, 
turns its back to the left-hand sepal, and its face to the right- 
hand petal. And then the column is bent to the left as well 
as the lip, but not in the same degree, so that even these two 
organs are not, as they usually are, opposite each other. 
In mentioning the existence of this singular plant we 
July, 1843. 
o 
