CENTRAL AMERICAN ORCHIDS 
Ornithidium Lankesteri Ames sp. nov. Herba epi- 
phytica, valida, floribunda. Caules erecti vel ascendentes, 
foliosi. Folia disticha, ligulata, valde coriacea, apice obtuse 
et inaequaliter bilobata, nervo medio prominenti. Flores 
numerosi ex axillis vaginarum. Vaginae complanatae 
caulem obtegentes. Pedunculi elongati, graciles. Sepala lat- 
eralia oblonga, acuta. Sepalum dorsale simile. Petala 
elliptico-oblonga, utrinque attenuata, acuta. Labellum 
trilobatum, callosum, carinis tribus prope basim, carnosum, 
petalis multo brevius; lobis lateralibus porrectis, obtusis; 
lobo medio lobos laterales multo excedenti, triangular!, 
apice incrassato subtriquetro. Callus in disco valde in- 
crassato usque ad basim lobi medii extensus, antice trun- 
catus. Columna in pedem brevem producta, usque ad 
apicem leviter dilatata. 
Epiphytic herb 60-90 cm. high, with numerous dis¬ 
tichous leaves and many flowers from the axils of the leaf- 
sheaths. Stems about 1.4 cm. in diameter, somewhat com- 
planate above. Leaves about 2 cm. apart, jointed to closely 
oppressed sheaths, 7-12.5 cm. long, up to 1.5 cm. wide, 
narrowly oblong, obtusely and unequally bilobed at the tip, 
somewhat conduplicate at the base. Leaf-bases up to 1.3 
cm. long, imbricating. Peduncles 5-6 cm. long, slender, 
with several closely oppressed elongated bracts, apparently 
fasciculate. Bract subtending the pedicel 1 cm. or more 
long, conduplicate, embracing the base of the pedicel, ovate- 
lanceolate, acute, the apex extending beyond the base of the 
upper sepal and closely oppressed. Lateral sepals about 
1.6 cm. long, 4 mm. wide, oblong, acute. Dorsal sepal 
similar. Petals about 1.5 cm. long, 4 mm. wide, narrowly 
elliptic-oblong, acuminate, acute. Labellum fleshy, 7 mm. 
long, about 4 mm. wide when spread out between the tips of 
the lateral lobes; lateral lobes quadrate, rounded at the tip, 
2 mm. wide; middle lobe much exceeding the laterals, 3 mm. 
long, 2 mm. wide near the base, 3-nerved, triangular, acute 
or obtuse, somewhat triquetrously thickened near the apex. 
Disc with three raised keels near the base of the labellum 
and with a dilated truncate median callus which extends 
to the base of the middle lobe. Column 6 mm. long, ex- 
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