0ECHID3 OF THE SIKEIM-HIMALAYA.
1 to 2 (rarely 2-;j) in. long, rafcher donsoly-flowcrod. Flowers -So in. across; floral hract
oblong, sub-acnte, smaller than the shortly-beaked oraiy. Sepals unequal, the doraal
broadly ovate-elHptic with blunt apex and broad truncate base; tlic lateral pair longer,
oblong, tapering to the sub-acute apex, falcate, sub-erect, not spreading. Fctals triaugular
lanccolate, sub-acute, longer than the sepals, and conniving -with them into a
hood. JÁp flat, fleshy, rather longer than the lateral sepals, shortly and broadly
clawed, broadly ovate, shortly and abruptly acummate, the edges sub-crcnulate but not
lobed; the upper sm-face with a small semi-lunar pit at the base near the column
and two incUned plates (with their margms touching) extending from it to beyond the
middle. Column very broad at the base, tapering upwards. Anthor-cclls toucJiing by
their apices, their bases diverging, tubes none. Follinia ellipsoid, blunt at both ends,
deeply 2-cleft, each inserted by a very short flat elastic caudicle into a large curved
horn-like hollow gland. Siamhodes oblong. Stigmas two, oblong, obtuse, transverse,
lying above the orifice of the spur, their inner ends separated by the base of a largo
triangular hustately-lobed space lying between the anther-cells. Hook. fil. Fl. Br. Ind.
VI, 12L'. n. grandifiorum, Lindl. MSS. in. Herb. Hook. fil. and T. Thorns.
Sikkim, in tho Lachen Valley; also in the Chumbi Valloy in Bhotan; at elevations
of fi-om 11,000 to 32,000 feet; Pautliug No. 381; also on the Cho-la and Pau-ka-laiu
flower during June and July.
The flowers are gi-een throughout. The transverse lobes of the hnstate space
between the anther-cells may represent the rostellum, but the natui-e of the rostclluni
in this genus, as in Hahcnaria, appears to be at present so obscm-e that we prefer to
describe nothing under the name of rostellum.
PLATE iH.—Serminium Joscphi, Eeiclib. fil. A plant, of natural siso. Fig. 1 a flower, 3 column
with the base of tlie lip still attaelied, anther-oells (empty) {a), staminodes (6), stigmas (s), entrance to
spur {9), ti-iaugiilax liastate space between tke anther-oells (;•), 3 sepals and petals, detaclied and spread
out, 4 bract, beaked ovary and bases oi periaotli, 5 lip, upper suriaee, 6 poUinia; all enlarged.
9. HEKMiNiuii OKBICULAEE, Hook. fil. Ic. Plantar., t. 2199B.
"Whole plant 3 to 6 in. high ; iiiber thin and elongate. Leaves vai-iable,
all radical or all cauline, or scattered, or sometimes obsolete, elliptic-oblong -with
•white reticulations, or iiuear-oblaneeolate and entirely green, sessile or with a rather
long sheath; length '5 to "So in., breadth '15 to 'i in. Peduncle of spike slender,
elongate, bearing a few distant subulate bracts about "25 in. long; spike -5 to 1 in.
long, rather densely-flowered. Flowers about -1 in. across (to end of lip); floral Iract
oblong-lanceolate, blunt, shorter than the sessile somewhat tumid oblique ovary.
Sepals sub-equal, oblong, blunt, the dorsal broader than the lateral pair. Petals shoiier
than the sepals, sub-orbicular, elliptic, blunt. Lip slightly longer than the sepals,
ovate-orbicular, entire, blunt, gibbous towards tho base, slightly concave, minutely
glandulose neax the thickened apex; spur minute, cylindxic, with a thick ridgo inside
on its posterior surface. Anther-cells parallel; polUnia broadly ovate, the caudieles very
short; glands small, orbicular. Stigmas conjoined under the anther-colls. Hook. fil. Fl.
Br. Ind. VI, 130.
DIPLOMEEIS.
Sikkim, in the Sin-ga-le-la range, elevation about 13,000 feet; in flower during
July; Pantling No. 348. Chumbi valley in Bhotan. Lachong valley; G. Gammie
No. 1031. Esa-naugi in Nepal.
The coloui- is green throughout.
P.ATE iA'i.-Kcrminium orliculare, Hook. fil. A plrvnt, of nMural ^he. Fig, 1 bract, ovaty and
flower, 2 apex of orary and eolumrv, showing the polllnia in BUU and the stigma, 3 tho petals, 4 lip,
5 section of spur, 6 pollinia; all enlarged.
89. Diplomeris, Don.
Small terrestrial deciduous herbs, with or without tubers. Leaves few, large, oblong
or ensiform, hairy or glabrous. Flotm-s one or two, large. Sepals sub-equal, free,
lanceolate, spreading. Petals much larger than the sepals. Lip adnate to the base of
the column by a long claw, its limb spreading, very broad, entii-o or minutely 3-lobed at
the apex, with a long spui-. Column very short; infertile stigma large, erect, membranous,
standing in front of tho anther-cells. Anther-eeUs parallel, with very long tubes extending
horizontally forwards by the sides of the column and projecting in front of it; poUiiua
sub-cylindric, curved; the caudicles very long, cylindric, cur%'ed; glands minute, discoid.
Stiijmas two, much elongate, oblong, parallel, projecting downwards and forwards above
the claw of the lip. Species two, both Indian.
DIPLOMERIS HIRSUTA, Lindl. Gen. and Spec. Orch., 331.
Tither globose; stem very shoit, l-flowered. Leaf solitary (with sometimes the
rudiment of a second), radical, pendulous, oblong, sub-acute, the base minutely cordate,
sessile, bearing stiff scattered haii-s on both sui-faces; length 2 to 3-5 in., breadth -To to
1-15 in. Flower I'So to 2 in. long and -9 in. to 1-4 in. across in front; floral Iravt
ovate, acuto, sparsely pubescent like the ribbed ovary. Sepals ovate-oblong, sub-acute,
much smaller than the petals. Petals orbicular-reniform, the apex slightly acute. Lip
somewhat longer than the sepals, sub-orbicular, abruptly clawed at the base; the apex
broad, emarginate, mucronate in tho sinus from the projection of the thick midrib;
upper surface smooth, the midrib broad and somewhat thickened; spitr infundibuliform at
tho mouth, otherwise cylindiic, slightly compressed, curved, pubescent inside, throe or
four times as long as the ovary. Column short; tho infertile stigma very large, thin,
erect, ovate-rotmid with iiTegularly lobed edges, its surface concave. Anther-cells lying
one on each side of and behind the imperfect stigma, triangular, with veiy long horizontal
forward-pointing tubes; staminodes small, oblong, ruguloso, each borne at the lower part
of the outer sui-face of tho author-cell; polUnia cylindi-ie, blunt, curved; the caudicles
very long and cui-ved; glands small, discoid. Fertile stigmas two, oblong, blunt, lying
parallel to and connate with each other by their inner edges below the orifice of the
spur and overhanging tho claw of tho lip. Hook. fil. Fl. Br. Ind VI, 167. Diplochilus
hirsuta, Lindl. iu Wall. Cat. 7065; in Bot. Reg. under t. 1499.
Sikkim, iu the valley of the Teesta, at elevations of about 1,000 to 1,400 feet; on
sandstone rocks; ia flower fi'om Juue to August; Pantling No. 184. Bhotanj Lister,
Gammie. Nepal; WalHch.
ASK. ROT. BOT. GARD., CALCUTTA, VOL- VILL