doubt they were mere varieties of the same natural form. The same form appeared 
with Messrs Linden, L’Horticulture Internationale, Parc Léopold, Brussels, 
during the présent summer, from which the annexed figure was prepared, and as 
it présents some slight différences from the typical C. barbatum it seems best to 
retain it as a separate variety. The ultimate position of this and a few other 
described species of the same affînity cannot at présent be precisely determined, 
as some of them were described from very scanty materials. The variety spinosa , 
if such it can be called, differs in very slight characters, and I am not certain 
whether these are really constant. The apex of the lip terminâtes in an acuminate, 
somewhat spine-like point, whence its name is derived, and the sepals and petals 
hâve narrower and more numerous transverse bars, in addition to which may be 
mentioned the different native country. 
The male flowers alone are represented in the annexed plate, but it is now 
well known that the females are sometimes produced from the same pseudobulb, 
and even on the same raceme. Their very different structure and appearance is 
now well known, but in former times was an immense puzzle to naturalists. 
Having been described as belonging to distinct généra their appearance on the 
same plant excited no small degree of wonder. The females of different species 
also bear a close resemblance to each other, and at least three of them were 
confused under the same name, i. e. Monachanthus viridis , which was thus 
thought capable of sporting indiscriminately into both Catasetum barbatum and 
C. tridentatum , if not indeed into others, and the idea seemed fast gaining ground 
that the ordinary conceptions of généra and species could not be applied to 
Catasetum. Even when Darwin pointed out that Catasetum tridentatum was a male, 
and Monachanthus viridis a female Orchid, he fell into the error of supposing 
Catasetum barbatum to be a third, or hermaphrodite form of the same species. 
The history of this confusion may be found in my paper on the “ Sexual Forms 
of Catasetum, ” published in the twenty-seventh volume of the Journal of the 
Linnean Society , which has already been mentioned in the pages of the Lindenia. 
R. A. Rolfe. 
CATTLEYA LABIATA AUTUMNALIS 
Mr. F. Sander, of St. Albans, about a fortnight ago, announced that the 
autumn-flowering Cattleya labiata ver a had been re-introduced, thanks to “ his 
indefatigable enterprise and persistent zeal. ” 
We may, however, point out that its re-introduction is due to Messrs Linden, 
L’Horticulture Internationale, Brussels, eighteen months aho, for Cattleya 
Warocqueana has now proved to be a synonym of the celebrated Cattleya 
labiata ver a. 
