Botanical Magazine 106 - 1880.pdf - hibiscus.org

TAB. 6496.
MORMODES OcANjs.
Native of New Grenada.
Nat. Ord. ORCHIDEE.•Tribe VANDE-E.
Genus MOHMODES, Lindl.; (Reickb.in Walp. Ann. vol. vi. p. 577.)
MORMODES Ocanm ; pseudobulbis oblongo-ellipsoideis basibus mombranaceis
foliorum fere obtectis, foliis pedalibus lj-poll. litis elongato-Uno«plaÍM amini-
natis, pedúnculo valido inclinato fusco-virescente, racemo 6-10-floro bracteis
oblongis obtusis cymbiformibus, floribui lubfMoioul&tia aurantians punctis
maculisve parvis iusco-sangniiH'iscreberrime utidiqui' irmratis, sepalis petalisque
consimilibus lanceolatis acumitiatis, tabello longe unguiculato trilobo, lobis
lateralibus brevibus oblongis obtusis intermedio majore subquadrato rostrato
marginibus omnium recurvis.
M. Ocanae, Lindl. and Reichb. f. mss. in Wulp. Ann. vol. vi. p. 577; Reichb. f.
in Gard. Chron. 1879, p. 582 et 817, flg. 133, 134.
Of the genus Mormodes seven species are now figured
in this work; M. pardina (Tab. 3879 and 3900), M.
Cartoni (Tab. 4214), M. lentiginosa (Tab. 4455), M. atro-
purpúrea (Tab. 4577), M. Greenii (Tab. 5802), M. Colossus
(Tab. 5840), and the subject of the present plate, all of them
differing remarkably from M. Ocan•, both in the form of
the perianth-segments and their colouring, but agreeing in
the singular arrangement of the column, which is twisted
one quarter round so as to bring the anther to face side-
ways, and to afford a landing-place to insects close to or
upon the anther itself. In M. Ocan• the slender beak
of the column, to which the anther case is hinged, rests on
the side of the mid-lobe of the lip, and when touched the
whole anther with its broad strap and gland is released
from the column with a jerk, and is, according to Dr.
Reichenbacli, frequently tossed into the concavity of the lip
itself ; for that learned author remarks (Gard. Ohron. 1. c.
582) that the three lobes of the lip form as many bags, in
one of which he always found a pollen-apparatus ; and he
JUNE 1ST, 1880.