I 
TROPICAL AMERICAN ORCHIDS 
obtecti. Folia filiformia, semiteretia ut videtur. Scapi uni- 
llori. Flores pro genere parvi. Sepala similia, lateralia basi 
in calcar longum connata, parte libera patenti oblonga vel 
lanceolata. Petala lanceolata, sepalis superata. Labellum 
cphimnae adnatum, lanceolatum. Calcar longum, gracil- 
limum. 
Plant very small for the genus, 9-10 cm. tall. Roots 
numerous, fibrous, flexuous, glabrous. Stems caespitose, 
very short, 1 cm. more or less long, entirely concealed by 
distichous imbricating leaf-sheaths. Leaves about five to 
six, approximate on the upper part of each stem; mature 
blades 2.7-8.75 cm. long, filiform, semiterete, channelled, 
about 1 mm. in diameter. Scapes basal, 1-flowered, gen¬ 
erally shorter than the leaves, lax, mostly concealed by five 
to seven long tubular approximate or imbricating sheaths; 
uppermost sheath much the longest, 1.8-2 cm. long, en¬ 
closing the long spur and ovary. Sepals in anthesis widely 
spreading above, connate below into a tube, free portions with 
revolute margins. Lateral sepals (free portion when ex¬ 
panded) ligulate-oblong, about 8.1 mm. long, about 2.15 
mm. wide, obtuse or acutish, 5-nerved. Dorsal sepal (free 
portion) oblong-lanceolate, about 8 mm. long, about 2.6 
mm. wide, acute, dorsally somewhat carinate near the 
apex, 5-nerved. Petals lanceolate, about 8.3 mm. long (but 
appearing shorter than the sepals because inserted much 
lower down), 1.9 mm. wide below, long-acuminate, the centre 
traversed by three approximate nerves, the upper portion 
somewhat fleshy. Labellum apparently adnate to the col¬ 
umn; lamina lanceolate, about 7.9 mm. long, 3 mm. wide 
below the middle, acute, its centre traversed longitudinally 
by three approximate nerves. Spur formed by the sepals long, 
slender, 1.4 cm. long, subclavate, parallel with the slightly 
longer ovary. Column short, stout, about 2.4 mm. long. 
Cryptocentrum gracillimum is related to C. ftavum 
Schltr., from Colombia, but usually has longer leaves, ap¬ 
proximate sheaths on the peduncle, and somewhat larger 
flowers of different color. The very narrow leaves appear to 
have been terete or subterete in the living plant. There are 
no near Central American allies. 
