Botanical Magazine 106 - 1880.pdf - hibiscus.org

TAB. 6529.
DIS A MEGACERAS.
Native of 8011th Africa.
Nat. Ord. OECIIIDEJí.--Tribe OPHEYDEJE.
Genus DISA, Berg; (Endl. Gen. PI p. 211.)
DISA (Répandra) megaceras; elata, robusta, caule folioso, foliis hinceolatis acamt-
natis, spica multiflora, bracteis lanceolatis longe acuminatis Soria brevionluis
v. longioribu.-*, floribus magnis albis purpureo macalatis, galea postica oonica in
cornu pollicari recto v. lente ciirv r o tenui producta, sepalis decurvis oblongo-
lanceolatis api cala t is, petalis late oblique ovatis recurvis acutis, labello anguste
lingulato glabro ápice acuto recurvo v. revoluto, anthera supina loculis
elongatis fere rectis.
1). macrantha, Hort.
It is not without great consideration that I have been com-
pelled to give a new name to the little-known Disa macrantha
of the gardens, nor would I have done so were I not well
assured that the true D. macrantha is a very different plant,
coming indeed from a very different part of the South
African continent from that inhabited by the present
species. It is true that of D. macrantha very little is cer-
tainly known ; it is a species of Thunberg's, described in
his " Flora Capensis " (p. 33) as having the spur conical,
shorter than the hood, the petals small, hidden under the
hood, rounded at the base, falcately recurved in the middle,
angled posteriorly, dilated retuse and crenulate at the end,
the lip oblong acute keeled suberect, and the anther &c.
as in LK cornuta, than which the flowers are rather larger.•
Now if the figure of the plant here given is compared with
this description, and with the plate of D. cormt&a in
this work (t. 4091), it will be seen that in all thoso points
in which D. macrantha differs from D. megaceras, it agrees
with D. cornuta, notably in the short spur, in the small
petals falcately recurved, dilated at the apex, and hidden
under the hood ; in the oblong lip and very small broad
anther : to which must be added that D. macrantha is a
western plant of the Cape district itself, whereas I), megaceras
is an eastern one, of which there are in the Kew Herbaria
DECEMBER 1ST, 1880.