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174 FIELDIANA: BOTANY, VOLUME 28
This species is remarkable for its small coriaceous ovate leaves
and for die medium keel or septum in the center of the fleshy lip.
It
appears to be somewhat allied to the widely distributed Prescottia
stachyodes (Sw.) Lindl. which has larger membranaceous leaves and
an ecarinate membranaceous lip.
Erythrodes confusa C. Schweinfurth, sp. nov.
Herba terrestris, alta. Caulis gracilis, pluriarticulatus cum articulis
inferioribus radiciferis et superioribus foliiferis. Folia ellipticolanceolata,
acuminata, basi sensim angustata, petiolata; petiolus in
vaginam laxam infundibuliformem productus. Racemus erectus, dense
mukiflorus. Flores parvL Sepalum dorsale lanceolato-ellipticum.
Sepala lateralia oblongo-lanceolata, leviter falcata, antice late
decurrentia. Petala oblique lineari-oblanceolata. Labellum in
calcar pergracile productum; lamina supra medium utrinque constricta,
cum lobo anteriore suborbiculari-ovato, conspicue apiculato;
calcar elongatum, supra plusminusve incrassatum.
Plant terrestrial, tall, about 35 cm. in length to the tip of the
raceme. Stem rather slender, many-jointed, glabrous except near the
apex, dark purple, the lower portion producing at the joints pairs of
long simple lanuginose roots, the upper portion loosely leafy. Leaves
about eight, shortly petioled; lamina elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate,
gradually narrowed below, membranaceous, many-nerved with three
prominent sulcate nerves, dull above, silvery gray beneath, up to 10
cm. long and 2.65 cm. wide (the uppermost and lowermost leaves
much smaller); petiole indistinct, about 2.7 cm. or less long, sulcate,
gradually dilated below into a loose infundibuliform sheath. Inflorescence
a dense, terminal, many-flowered raceme, about 4.3 cm.
long. Floral bracts lanceolate, long-acuminate, concave, sparingly
ciliolate. Flowers small, membranaceous, with a few scattered hairs
without and with a slender glandular-pubescent ovary. Sepals dull
lavender-brownish without, pale green at base and buff in upper half
within. Dorsal sepal lanceolate-elliptic, acuminate, concave, 1-
nerved, (indistinctly 3-nerved near the base), up to 7 mm. long and
2.2 mm. wide in the middle. Lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate,
acuminate with inrolled margins, lightly falcate, long-decurrent at the
base in front, 1-nerved (indistinctly 3-nerved toward the base), a
little smaller than the dorsal sepal. Petals adherent to the dorsal
sepal, very obliquely linear-oblanceolate, acute or acuminate, up to
7 mm. long and 1.1 mm. wide above, 1-nerved, the same color as the
sepals. Lip produced into an elongate spur; lamina divided by an
abrupt constriction into two pans; basal part oval, concave, with a
little fold on each side at the constriction; anterior part suborbicularovate,
abruptly acute or apiculate, about 2.5 mm. long and 2.6 mm.
or less wide; spur very slender, more or less dilated above, up to
1 .4 cm. long, white. Column dilated upward, terminating in an obtuse
oblong-triangular wing (Fig. 29).