NEW OR NOTEWORTHY ORCHIDS 
florescences numerous, much shorter than the leaves, 1-flow- 
ered, erect. Peduncle up to the pedicellate ovary 8-10 cm. 
long, mostly concealed by 4-6 sheaths which are erect, con¬ 
volute, loose, and finely pustulose especially the lower ones. 
Pedicellate ovary terete, channeled, 2.3-3 cm. long, en¬ 
veloped and somewhat exceeded by the scarious concave 
bract. Flowers large and showy. Sepals widely spreading, 
petals porrect and crossing in natural position. Lateral 
sepals obliquely lanceolate-linear, about 7.4 cm. long, long 
attenuate with an acute apiculate tip, forming a prominent 
mentum about 1.3 cm. wide, carinate on the outer side to¬ 
ward the apex. Dorsal sepal very similar, concave at base. 
Petals similar to the lateral sepals but shorter, attenuate- 
lanceolate, 5.1-5.6 cm. long from the center of the oblique 
base, basal portion broadly lanceolate with slightly undulate 
margins, 8-9 mm. wide. Labellum erect and parallel to the 
column with incurved sides in natural position, slightly 
3-lobed near the apex, oblong-obovate in outline when ex¬ 
panded, 1.9 cm. long, about 1.15 cm. wide across the lateral 
lobes; lateral lobes (free portion) bluntly angled at the apex, 
erose on the anterior margins; middle lobe semiorbicular, 
erose on the margins, a fleshy boss on the under surface near 
the tip. Disc below the middle with an obovate excavated 
callus, pubescent on the inner surface. Column arcuate, 
very short, extended into a stout foot, about 1.8 cm. long 
including the foot, semicylindric in cross-section, anterior 
surface flattened and marked with reddish. Anther mitri- 
form. Pollinia 4, in 2 unequal pairs, complanate-ellipsoid. 
Maxillaria arachnitiflora has a distinct South American 
alliance, being most closely related to M. lepidota Lindl. It 
differs from that species, however, in its relatively broader 
leaves, in having peduncles that are subequal to the petioles, 
and in being nearly smooth on the outer surface of lip. 
It differs also in the much broader basal callus of the 
lip. Among Central American species, it approaches M. 
Endresii Reichb. f., but is distinguished by its slender incon¬ 
spicuous pseudobulbs, longer more attenuate sepals and 
dissimilar lip. 
88 
