ORCHIDACEAE QUAEDAM AMERICANAE 
Herb. Duplicate type in U. S. Nat. Herb. Nos. 825830, 
825831); Coban, H. v. Tuerckheim 54, April 1879. Epiphyte. 
(U. S. Nat. Herb. No. 814235.) 
Epidendrum obesum Ames sp. nov. Herba valida, 
paucifoliata. Folia disticha, elliptico-oblonga, obtusa, cori- 
acea. Vaginae foliorum amplae, usque ad apicem dilatatae. 
Pedicellus cum ovario elongatus, gracilis, glaber. Sepala 
lineari-oblonga, patentia. Petala lineari-oblonga, sepalis 
angustiora. Labellum trilobatum, in circuitu hastatum; 
lobis lateralibus rotundatis; lobo medio triangulari-lineari. 
Discus prope apicem columnae bicallosus; calli incras- 
sati, triangulares, porrecti, permagni; nervi prominentes 
tres per medium lobi terminalis extendunt. Columna 
apice denticulata, labello usque ad apicem adnata. 
Plant 2 dm. or more high, very stout, with three to 
four distichous elliptic-oblong leaves jointed at a wide base 
to ample complanate sheaths. Lamina of the leaves 14 cm. 
or more long, 4-5 cm. wide, 2-3 cm. apart, very leathery, 
obtuse. Complanate sheaths up to 5 cm. long, dilated 
upwards, sometimes 1 mm. through at base and 3 cm. across 
at the summit. Pedicel with the ovary about 9 cm. long, 
slender, smooth, at least not verruculose or scabrid. Lateral 
sepals 4 cm. long, about 5-6 mm. wide, linear-oblong, acute. 
Dorsal sepal similar. Petals about 4 cm. long, 2-3 mm. wide, 
linear, acute. Labellum about 4 cm. long from base of the 
adnate column to tip of the middle lobe, 3-lobed, bicallose 
in front of the column; lateral lobes rounded, 7 mm. long, 
4 mm. wide, forming a triangular sinus at the base of the 
mid-lobe; middle lobe linear-triangular, 16 mm. long, 3.5 mm. 
wide at base, mid-nerve of disc prominent, with a raised nerve 
on each side. Calli fleshy, triangular, 5 mm. long, the free 
portion porrect, nearly equaling or slightly exceeding the 
sinuses formed by the lateral lobes. Column 2 cm. long, di¬ 
lated upward from a slender base, denticulate at the summit. 
Although vegetatively very distinct from Epidendrum 
lacertinum Lindl., the flowers suggest that species. The 
lateral lobes of the labellum are rounded, not triangular- 
acute. 
