This species is very nearly allied to Oberonia anthropophora, which is also a Burmese plant.
That species is caulescent, not stemless, has no tubercle at the base of its lip, has the middle lobes of
that organ more setaceous, and the lateral lobes broad, short, and half ovate; the spike is evanescent
at the point, and finally the bracts are not so long as the flowers.
A, represents this plant of its natural size. A 1, is a highly magnified view of a portion of the
spike, with half a dozen flowers adhering to it, at a part where they are not verticillate. A2, represents
the column very highly magnified, with the stigmatic gland in front, and the anther, which is crested,
lying quietly at its back. A 3, is a profile of a flower, shewing the long bristle-pointed bract, the
column with the anther raised up, and the great goitre at the neck of the labellum. A 4, shews the
front of a full-blown flower from which the labellum has been cut off; the anther raised up, the
pollen-masses lying below it, and the stigmatic gland withered up, A 5, represents the two pairs
of pollen-masses.
B.
OBERONIA GRIFFITHIANA.
O. Griffithiana; Bubcaulescens, foliis linearibus subfalcatis apiculatis, spied subverti-
cillatä apice evanescent*:, bracteis ovato-lanceolatis serrulatis florum longitudine,
sepalis ovatis acutis, petalis obovatis obtusis laceris glandulosis, labello cordato
basi saccate apice bipartito utrinque multifido margine scabro, columna anticè
excavatä.
This singular plant wants altogether the brilliant colouring of the last, but its form is not less
extraordinary. Figures B 3 and 4, represent this so perfectly that I may safely leave the imagination
of the reader to discover with what it can be most justly compared-
The habit of Oberonia Griffithiana is very much that of the last species, but the stem is more
evident. The arrangement of the flowers is also the same. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate,
acuminate, minutely toothed at the edge, and not longer than the flower. The sepals are like those
of O. rufilabris, but more dingy. The petals are a dull greenish brown, obtuse, as long as the
sepals, and not only torn at the margin into a number of coarse divisions, but covered with fleshy
hairs which give them the appearance of some shaggy ear. The labellum is of the same colour as
the petals, except that it has more purple at the base, its edge and surface are rough, with little
raised papillm, and it is deeply divided into, a number of finger-like lobes, of which the two
central ones are the largest, and there are about five smaller ones gradually diminishing to the base on
each side. The front of the column is singularly excavated into a sort of cup, with the anterior edge
of which the labellum is joined. The pollen-masses in this and some other species has been
determined by Mr. Griffith to be four, and incumbent, thus ^ % .
Fig. B. represents this species of the natural size. B 1, is a young flower-bud about to expand.
B 2, is the same in a more advanced state, with the labellum just beginning to. unfold, two of its lobes
standing in front of the other parts like a pair of horns. B 3 and 4, are highly magnified views of
the back (4) and front (3) of a full-blown flower. B 5, exhibits a part of the front of a flower still
more magnified, together with a bract*: the labellum and the points of the petals are cut away, and
the cup-shaped base of the column is seen below the stigmatic surface.
To these two new species of Oberonia, and the 14 previously known. I have the following
to add.
O. anceps ; caule elongato ancipiti, foliis distichis ovatis incurvis obtusis densè imbricatis, spied
cylindraced densissimè imbricate, bracteis subrotundo-ovatis erosis, sepalis ovatis, petalis Ovatolanceolatis
serrulatis, labello truncato subquadrato obscurè 4-lobo : laciniis submqualibus acutis.------
Burmese empire (No. 1097) Mr. Griffith ; a plant with the foliage of Aporum anceps.
O. brachystachys; acaulis, foliis oblongis obtusis aut apiculatis rectis raeemis SUbaequalibus,
spied densd verticillatd : verticillis multifloris, bracteis ovatis acutis floribus brevioribus, sepalis ovatis
obtusiusculis, petalis obovatis serrulatis, labello cordato tripartite: laciniis cuneatis subseqüalibus
apice serrulatis.------ Burmese empire (Nos. 697 and 778) Mr. Griffith.
c.
DRYMODA.
Perianthium vald& in®quale et irreguläre. Sepalum supremum erectum, liberum ;
lateralia postica, cum pede longissimo column® connata, subrhomboidea, acuminata,
sessilia, supremo pluri&s majora. Petala nana, libera. Labellum cum
pede column® articulatum, trilobum, convexum, lobo medio deflexo. Columna
nana, semiteres, auricula longa petaloidea utrinque porrecta, basi in pedem lon-
gissimum linearem canaliculatum elongata. Anthera terminalis, opercularis,
cristata, bilocularis. Pollinia 4, accumbentia, glandul® globos® carnos®
gramos® separabili adnascentia.------Herba minuta, epiphyta, pseudobulbosa,
(aphylla?) scapis radicalibus vaginatis unifloris.
Drymoda picta.
The only knowledge I have of this most miribus plant is from a sketch made by Mr. Griffith,
from specimens discovered by him in February, IRSfl.ar. Mergui, in the Burmese empire. ..-.Itis »;.
entirely different from any other Orchidacea with which I am acquainted, that I am unable even to
name a genus with which it may Bé compared. In the structure of the stigmaiic glaud in particular
it is so peculiar that Mr. Griffith considers! the plant situated on the confines of Epidendxete and
Vandese.