ORCHIDS OP THE SIKKIM-HIUALAYA.
* • Lip deflexod from neai- the base.
Lo-aves two, pseudo-bulbs disciform, column not winged . , . SI. L. riri'lifiora.
LeaTos two to four, pseudo-bulbs ovoid-oblong, compressed, column
wiuged.
Wings of column short, broad, not liooked, lip -mth em.u'gi'
nate apioulate apex 22. L. Assamica.
Wings of column produced into long Looked procesces; apex
of lip entire L rssupinata and rar.
Rtdkyi.
1. LIPABIS COEDIPOUA, Hook. ßl. Ic. Plantar., t. 1811.
T e r r e s t r i a l ; the wliole plant of a uniform deep green CDlour. Pseudobuih crowded,
much compressed, ovoid, pointed, having some scattered fibre.s at the base, 1-5 in!
lotig. Stem short, stout, enveloped hy the leaf-sheath. Leaf large, solitary, broadly
ovate, acute; the base broad, cordate, suddenly contracted into the wide sheath
shining, the nerves few and indistinct, 2 to 5 in. long and 1-5 to i in. broad!
Inflorescence about as long as the leaf ¡ the peduncle elono"ate, ebracteate • the rchceTd'
only 1 io 3 in. long; fiyral hract triangular, minnts, the psdicelled oYary long and
iiiaorm. Flmer -eä in. long. SepaU liuearJanoeolate, aonts; the dorsal spreading, fhs
lateral pair lying undor tho lip and concoalod by it e.xcnpl their apioes. PeU, linear,
spreading. Lip broadly triangular or obovate-deltoid, .flat, with a slight concavity at
t h e base, and with a miniite tooth on each side, a central grooved rido-e and two
lateral branching nerves; the edges minutely erose-crenulate; the apex broad sub
truncate and apiculate. Column curved, much swollen at the base, and produced into
two polished knobs, the apex with two «hört rounded wings. PolUnia elongate, 3-angled,
each pair resting on a distinct rostelluin which is tipped wit)i a ball of transparent
viscus. Hook. fil. FI. Er. Ind. V, 692.
Sikkim-Himalaya; elevation 5,000 to 6,000 feet; Tantling No. 131. North-west
Himalaya. Khasia Hills; 3,000 to 0,000 feet; Griffith, Hooker and Thomson. In
iiower during October and November.
PLATE 2%.-Lipark cordifolia, Hook. fil. A plant, of mtural sise. Pig. 1 a flower, fro,it view
2 bract, stalked ovary, lateral sepals, lip, and column, in profile, a base of lip, 4 column, 5 pollinia'
6 lateral 7 of pollen mass ; all enlarged. '
2. LIPARIS GAMBLEI, Hook. fil. Ic. Plantar, t. 1812.
Epiphytal. Pseudokilhs in clusters, sub-orbicukr, flattened, green, smooth. Leaf
solitary, with a long wide sheath embracing the future pseuilo-bulb and the base of
t h e peduncle, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, Z-nerved, the margins ininutelv undulate nearly
to the apex, narrowed at the base to the long sheath, length 1 to 4 in., and breadth
•5 to 2 in. Inflorescence longer than the leaf; the peduncle rather stout, anWed
when dry; raceme rather laxly-flowered ; the floral hract lanceolate, acute, shorter than
t h e pedicelled ovary. Flowers -25 in. long. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, the dorsal roflexed
f r om about tne middle, the lateral pair adpressed to the undor surface of the lip, Petals
linear, deflexed, their margins revolute. Lip deflexed from the base, broadly elliptic,
longer than the lateral sepals, obtuse or sub-acute, grooii witli brownish ed-^es; its
surface and edges minutely papillose and with three strong branclung brownish-purple
LIPAMS. 2j
median nerves; the base with a small cavity bearing on its margins two minute
calli under tho column. Column rather stout, strongly curved about tho middle, thickcned
at tho base, the apex with two broad -wings; pollinia obovoid; rostella two. Hook. fil.
Fl. Br. Ind, V, 693; in Ann. Bot. Gard. Oalc. Vol. V, pt. 1, 2 t. 3.
Sikkim-Himalaya at Rungbee, Clarke; on Sinchal, alt. 0,500 feet. Gamble; above
Sureil, alt. G,000 feet, Pantling, No. 150; in flower in June.
An exquisite littlo plant found growing on the moss-covered trunks of trees in
cool damp forests. The flowers are of a dark-green, the lip having a broad margin
of brownish-purple and many nerves of the same colour.
PLATE 2 9 .—G a m l l c i , Hook. fil. A plant, of natural size. Fig. 1 flower, front ticic,
2 flower, seen from \ha i'de, 3 column and apes of ovary, 4 anther, 5 pollinia; ali enlarged,
3. LIPAKIS CATHCARTN, Hook. fil. Ic. Plantar, t. 1808.
Terrestrial. Pseudo-bulb narrowly ovoid, about 1-25 in. long. Stem from the base
of the pseudo-bulb, decumbent below, erect above, 2 or 3 in. long, bcarin<'-
several sub-acuto sheaths and at the apex two sub-opposite, broadly-ovate or ellipticovate
sub-acute leaves, contracted into sheathing petioles at the more or less cordate
bases; length of blade 1-5 to 4 in.; breadth 1 to 2 in. ; petioles 1 to 2 o in. long.
Inflorescence much longer than the leaves, winged; tho peduncle striate, ebracteate; raccmc
laxly-flowered; floral hract minute, broad, erect. Flower from '8 to '9 in. long, green
and purple. Sepals oblong, blunt, their edges much recurved, spreading, the lateral pair
closely adpressed to the lower surface of the lip. Petals liuear, curved and reflesed.
Lip flat, obovate, '\\ith a clawed cordate base and a truncate arose apex cuspidate in the
middle; the base with two obscure calli connected by a thickened line so as to form a
nectary, with a groove proceeding from it and disappearing about half-way up the
middle of the lip. Column long, slender, curved, the apex sub-lruncate and with two
short broad wings; the base slightly thickened and with two teeth. Anther subq
u a d r a t e ; pollinia clavate-ob )Void. Hook. fil. Fi. Br. Ind. V, 694. L. mpcstris (in partj
Kid ley in Journ. Linn. Soc. XX H, 145 (not of Griffiih).
T h e flowers in this species are most beautifully and delicately coloured; the sepals,
petals and upper part of the column with the anther are green ; the base of the culumn
is purple, as is also the greater part of the lip, the latter having besides veins of a
deeper shade of the same colour, while its anterior edge has a broad margin of yellowish
green.
Sikkim; in the Lachen valley, at an elevation of 7,000 feet; Pantling No. 369; at
elevations of 8,000 to 10,000 feet; Hooker, Clarke.
PLATE Z^.—Liiarii Caihcartii, Hook. fil. A plar.t, of unxmially large size. Fig. 1 A flower,
seen from the front, 2 flower, seen from behind, 3 column, 4 anther, 5 pollinia; oU enlarged.
4. IJPAKIS DKFLIIXA, Hook. fil. Fl. Br. Ind. V, 697.
Terrestrial. Stem cylindric, as thick as a goose-quill, about .2 or 2'o in.
covered by two or three tight short sub-acute sheaths, springing from a cylindric rootbearing
tuber which has beside it a more succulent rootless tuber. Leaves two from near
t h e top of the stem, sub-opposite, and with short unequal petioles, elliptic, tapering from
the middle to the acuminate apex and to the sheathing base, membranous, plicate,
ANS. EOT. BOT. GARD., CALCCTTA, VOL, VIII.