CENTRAL AMERICAN ORCHIDS 
The type of this species was collected by H. Pittier in 
the Canal Zone in 1911. Dr. Schlechter placed it in the 
genus Scaphosepalum, but on what characters I do not know, 
as the floral structure and the habit of the plant indicate 
quite clearly that the species is a Masdevallia. Schlechter 
had occasion to study the species intensively when he pre¬ 
pared his enumeration of the orchids of Panama collected by 
C. W. Powell. In his revision of former views he reduced 
his Scaphosepalum panamense to synonymy under Masde¬ 
vallia Livingstoneana Roezl & Reichb. f. 
Masdevallia Livingstoneana has been numbered among 
those orchids which were inadequately described by Reichen- 
bach. Until the Reichenbachian herbarium was opened it 
was impossible to obtain any evidence as to the aspect of the 
species, because Reichenbach “ had given such a diagnosis 
that ‘ Oedipus himself would not have guessed the plant.’ ” 
In the original description no reference is made to the petals 
and labellum. 
In Reichenbach’s herbarium I was unable to find the 
type specimen of Masdevallia Livingstoneana. I did find, 
however, a water-color sketch of a flowering plant accom¬ 
panied by a manuscript description which is almost word 
for word the description that was published in the Gar¬ 
deners’ Chronicle. Perhaps this water-color sketch was the 
only available evidence as to the floral characters, and served 
for a tentative description while the type plant which was 
sold at auction in London was being induced to grow and 
produce flowers. I am unable to explain on any other 
reasonable assumption Reichenbach’s failure to describe the 
petals and labellum. 
The specimens that I have examined of Schlechter’s 
Scaphosepalum panamense — I refer to the type and to speci¬ 
mens given me by Mr. Powell—seem to be different from the 
plant represented by the water-color drawing referred to. 
The most conspicuous difference is found in the upper lobe of 
the calyx, this being elongated, erect and slender in M. 
Livingstoneana, but subequal to the lateral lobes of the calyx 
and sharply bent back in Schlechter’s Scaphosepalum 
panamense. Another difference, which is clearly apparent, 
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