IL^E L I A SFPEIRIBIEWS
if J i Sms, /Í3. rutaJiU'í. M.irT'. 1Í4S
TAB. XXXVIII.
L J i L I A ' SUPERBIENS:
G O R G B O V S L ^ L IA.
TRIBUS: EPI D E NDKEíE.—LINDLEV.
mpcrhicns; scapo longissimo multifloro, sepalis petalisque lineari-oblongis obtiisis membninaceis
labello longioribus, la belli lobo medio obtiisissimo : disco kmellis quinqué maximis subserratis anticí;
truncatis aucto, anthenu crista biauritíi, clinaudrio denticulado.—L'nuU. Bot. Reg. Misc. 87, 1840 :—sub
Tab. G2, 1842.
Habitat in Guatemala.—SKINNEII, HARTWEG.
i3csci'íption.
PSEUDO-BULBS elongated, swollen in the centre, channeled, sliffhtli/ compressed, a font or viorv
high, and beariny two extremely rigid, shininy, sharj)-])ointed LE.IVUS, of about their own length.
SCAPE upright, springing from between the leaves, very thick and strony, and occasionally attaining
the length of twehe feet; it is almost entirely cased by the nhcathing, ventricosc, acute BRACTS.
FLOWERS numerous fsometimes not fewer than twmty), forming a dense and magnificent head at
the extremity of the scape. SEPALS Unear-ohlong, more than two inc/ws long. PETALS obtuse,
broader than the sepals, and, like them, rose-coloured. LIP shorter than the petals, three-lobed, the
middle lobe depressed, exceedingly blunt, and larger than the lateral lobes, which are rounded; the.
colour of the Up is an intensely deep rose, enlivened by rich yellow streaks along the disc and base,
where are placed five large soviewhat serrated platcji. COLUMN arched, not half the Ivngth of the
lip. ASTUER furnished with a two-eared crest, and a rlinandrium icith indented edges.
T H I S U-uly magnificent pUmt is a native of the cooler districts of Guatemala, where the honour of
first discovering it is jus t l y claimcd by iMr. SKINNER. Mr. HAKTWEG also met with it in abundance in
the neighbourhood of Chantla, and forwarded some enormous masses to the Horticultural Society; but
unfortunately neither these nor any of the plants sent over by Mr. SKINXEH have yet ñowered. Miss
DRAKE'S dniwing was most carefully prepared from materials communicated by Mr. SKINNER, and there
can be no donbt that, however brilliant her representation may appear, it will I'ail to do justice to the
splendour of tlie living plant. Respecting its habitat, &c. I\[r. SKINNER wi tes as follows:—
•• I lirst found LfvUa superhiens in the village of Siimpango, planted by the Indians in front of their
doors. This was in IS39 : afterwards (in November, 1S40,) I went in search of its true habitat, and, after
a n excursion of three days, found it in the barrancas of Sachmanichon, near the town of Comalapa, about
twenty leagues due north of the city of Guatemala. Here it exists in immense quantities; the finest
specimens growing out of crevices of tlie rocks, and sheltered from the nortli winds. Some of the plants had
bulbs of the lieight of twenty-two inches, with dower stems four yards in length, and bearing upwards of
twenty Howcrs (one, of which 1 sent you tlie dried specimen, had twenty-two.-I") On the morning on wliich
• S«prà Tub. IX.
i' l-roiii till« 5)>eciiiicn. >v1,icli
]wrl«iioii logctlipr.
¡marknbly well preserved, Miss DRAKE compiled ilie figure. The llowers appear to have been all ii