P late X V .
AERIDES AFFINE.
Aerides affine. W'allich Cat. no. 7316. Lindl. Genera et Spec. Orchid. 239.
A. multiflorum. Roxburgh FI. Ind. 3. 475.
This very beautiful epiphyte was first discovered by Dr. Roxburgh in Sylhet, where it grows
and flowers during the hot season; that Botanist called it Aerides multiflorum, but as his Flora
Indicahad not reached England in March 1833, when the third part of the Genera and Species
of Orchidaceee was published, the name introduced into the latter work was Dr. ‘Wallich’s A. affine.
Thé last mentioned Botanist met with it on the southern mountains of Nepal, near Sheopore.
The accompanying figure has been prepared from a drawing in the possession of the Honourable
Court of Directors of the East India Company, assisted by dried specimens. Since it was made
ready for publication the species has flowered in the collection of Messrs. Loddiges.
In its habit, leaves, and inflorescence, it is very like Saccolabium guttatum, but the racemes I
are more erect. The leaves are distichous, channelled, truncate and notched at the apex, with a
sharp intermediate mucro. The flowers are scentless, deep rose-colour, spotted with purple, in
slightly drooping, rigid, cylindrical racemes, about nine inches long. The pedicels are short, and
are subtended by a small, short, ovate, withering bract. The outer sepals are oval, obtuse, the
lateral ones being shorter than the others, and the whole more fleshy than the petals; The petals
are oblong, and very obtuse. The lip is ovate, acute, slightly three-lobed, wavy or crisp at the
edo-e, larger than the petals, spreading, with a curved, channelled unguis, which is prolonged into a
short conical spur, just below the base of the lamina, and is bordered with, a rounded membranous
margin. The column is very short, semitèrete, pyramidal, with a long, narrow, deflexed, bifid
rostellum. The capsules are oblong, about three-quarters of an inch long, with three flat or
bicarinate angles, and three intermediate elevated fleshy ridges.
This is one of the finest of the East Indian Vandeous Orchidaceas. Unfortunately its flowers
have no smell.