the leafless stalks, than which it is a little longer. Spike compound, ter- 
minal, ovate, compact, the size of a duck’s egg: common braclee indetinite 
in number, closely imbricated equitant: the exterior Jargest, roundish, 
narrowed towards the base or wedge-shaped, covered with dense incon- 
spicuous hairs, Coriaceous, traversed by close-set veins radiating from the 
base to the Margin; interior ovate or elliptical, purplish, furnished with 
parallel longitudinal veins becoming confluent at the tip, which is pubes- 
cent especially on the outside, gradually narrowing and paler, separating 
the flowers into 2 parcels, each of which is 2 or 3 flowered, and anterior 
and posterior with respect to the common axis of inflorescence; partial 
braclee 38, linear-lanceolate, palish purple, one interior and separate, 
2 exterior of each of which one edge becomes confluent with that of the 
bracteze of the nearest flower, so as to form a partition completely 
separating each flower from its neighbour. Perianthium superior, double, 
an inch long: outer (formed of three bractex connate with the germen?) 
divided to its base into 3 obtuse linear-lanceolate equal naked segments 
with edges approximated and a little curved inwards so as to resemble a 
tube as long as the inner perianthium; inner with a slender tube twice as 
long as Its segments, gradually attenuated towards its upper end when the 
function of the limb has ceased, traversed in the inside by 2, elevated, hairy 
lines running from its very bottom almost as far as the top of the auricles 
of the labellum to which they are opposite; dimb double with a convolutive 
estivation: outer 3-parted with linear lanceolate obtuse rather irregular 
segments, of which 2 are lateral and the other posterior with respect 
to the partial axis of inflorescence (of the fascicles); interior 3-parted: 
segments united a little above those of the outer limb: two lateral, pos- 
terior, obovate, extended at the base of their front edge a little beyond that 
of the labellum, shorter than the outer segments with which they alter- 
nate: one (labellum ) anterior (by a slight twist of the tube appearing lateral, 
and then the 2 lateral divisions become anterior and posterior, ) between 
the lateral laciniz of the outer limb, concave, hoodshaped?, in zstivation 
involving the free part of the style and stigma, inserted within the margin 
of the lateral segments as if in a different series, on one side having a 
rounded denticulation | (or sterile stamen connate with the reel) a 
«little above the orifice ofthe tube, on the other side united to the fila- 
ment or separate and then furnished with an auricle on both sides. Stamen 
inserted into the posterior Segment of the outer series: filament thin, 
lanceolate, diaphanous, erect, the length of the style, either united on 
one side to the margin of the labellum or distinct from it, that side which 
Supports the anther being much thicker than the other and somewhat 
twisted towards the labellum ; anther affixed a little below the right hand 
‘side of the apex of the filament, elliptical, in eestivation pressed against 
the top of the style and shedding the pollen before the expansion of the 
labellum, one-celled, half-divided by a longitudinal partition into two 
parallel cells: pollen white, spherical, fleshy, often angular by mutual 
pressure of the particles. Germen inferior 3-celled; cells with one erect 
ovulum; style filiform, naked, united with the tube, as far as its orifice, 
in front of the filament, beyond the orifice disengaged, much thickened, 
very smooth, whitish, somewhat compressed, transverse, with an oblique 
horizontal summit; stigma terminal, funnel-shaped, oblique, thickened at 
the margin, during estivation compressed, afterwards open and turned 
away from the anther; it usually happens that the pollen is dropped on 
the shoulder of the style nearest’ the stigma; but.wé have twice observed 
it in the cavity of the stigma. Expansion commences in the posterior 
M 
