TAB XXXVL.
CORYANTHES^ SPECIOSA, YAK.
MR. IWCKERS VARIETY OF CORY A NTH ES SPECIOSA.
TRIBUS: VA ADE/E.—LIXDLEY.
CORYANTHES. Hnuker, Bol. May. t. 3102.—Zf/u?. Ge.yi. ^ Spc. >
P i i R i A N T n i U M patcntissimuni. Sépala dilatata, flexuosa, eondupl i c a t a ; later
a l i b u s maximis , basi distinctis. Potala mul t ò minor a ercota. Labollimi min:uiciil
a t u m , m a x imum, galea!um, e u m basi columna- cont inuum, nul l o m u d o arlicuÌaluni,
t r i d e n t a t u m , in m e d i o ungui s a p p e n d i c e pocul i lormó c l rcumdalnm. Colmnna teros,
b a s i bicoriiis, o longata, apice recurva, bialala. Stigma i-inia t r ansve r s a . Antbera
b i l o c u l a r i s . Pollinla 2 conipressa, postico sulcata, caudicul á lineari arcuata, 'Hand
u l à bma t à apicibus a p p r o x ima t o - r e c u r v i s .—I f e r ò i T ^lmeWc«Hrt ? e p i p l i j t a s |>seiidob
u l b o s a ? . Kacemi i)endidi. Flores m a x imi .—L i m i . Gen. et Spe. xciii.
Gongora speciosa. Hooker, Boi. Maij. I. 2735,
Cor)-iintlifa iimcuJata. Hooker, Boi. Mag. I. ai02. LiiiUl. Bot. Reg. I.
Habitat in BrazUut, ÌIARRISOXX : iti Demerariì, PAKKIÌU ; io Mexico, RUCK EH.
13 e s c r i p t io IT.
PSEVDO-BULBS deeply striated, broade-it at the bane, sometivies nearh/ six inches lony, duxtered.
LEAVES two on each pseudo-bulb, broadly lanceolate, striated, a foot or more loiiy. SCAPE about
two feet long, pendent from its iccAght, beariiiy from two to six large and remarkable FLOIVEII.S.
BR.ICTS membranaceous, ovate-lanceolate, three or four on the scape, where they are slieathiny, and
one at the ba.'<e of each Jiower. The lateral SEPALS arc spread out in an horizontal direction, and
resemble a bat's wings; they soon become rejiexed and withering; the upper sepal is narrower than
those at the sides, but, like them, is folded backwards ; in most varietie.'i the sépala are i/ellowish
green, semi-transparent, and destitnte of spots, but occa.4onally, as in the Plate, a few spots
occur. PETALS much waved, erect, linear-oblong, much sinaller than the sepals; usually spotted
with rich chestnut on u yellowish ground. The LIP is in two j^ortions ; at the buse is a deej>
orange, satiny large cup or sack, from the inner and upper margin of which there rises a ven; large,
again pedunculated, helmct-shapcd procc.'<s, of a thick and jleshy nature, hollow within, standing
erect, which cotters with its rigid apex the top of the column. CoiC-M/.v e.vactly perpendicular,
almost two inches long, cylindrical, enlarged at the top so as to resemble an inverted foot, pale green,
sprinkled with reddish streaks; at the base two oblong curved processes occur, from which honei/ U
constantly distilled, and falls into the cup below.—Hooker, I. c.
THIS beautiful plant flowered in June, 1812, in Mr. RUCKER'S line collection at Wandsworth.
Having been imported from Mexico, wliere no Conjanthcs had been previously found, its progress was
eagerly watched, and Uie development of its huge flower-buds awaited with no small anxiety. Contrary,
however, to e.xpcctation the expanded blossoms exhibited no distinctive characters, but approached so closely
• So callcd from llic rcsfiiibianco of die flowtrs to .oput. a helmcu
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