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Tab. 8183.
CYPRIPEDIUM DEBILE.
China and Japan.

ORCHIDACEAE. TRIBE CYPRIPEDIEAE.

CYPRIPEDIUM, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 634; Pfitzer in
Engl. Pflanzenreich, Orch. Pleon. p. 28.

CYPRIPEDIUM debile, Reichb. f. Xen. Orch. vol. ii. (1874), p. 223; Gard.
Chron. 1905, vol. xxxviii. p. 442, fig. 166; Rev. Gen. Bot. 1901, t. 13,
fig. 1-10; Franch. et Savat. Enum. Pl. Japon. vol. ii. p. 738; Matsumura
Index Pl. Japon. vol. ii. p. 241; species nana, diphylla, foliis late ovatis,
caulibus scapisque gracilibus glabris, floribus parvis.

Herba terrestris, 10-15 cm. altus. Caulis gracilis, glaber, diphyllus. Folia
opposita, late ovata, acuta, membranacea, 3-6 cm. lata, 3-5-nervia, venis
secondariis reticulatis. Scapi 2-4 cm. longi, arcuati. Bracteae lineares,
acutae, 1*5-2*5 cm. longae. Pedicelli 1 cm. longi. Flores parvi; sepala et
petala pallide viridia, basi brunneo-maculata, labellum album ore purpureo-
striatum. Sepalum posticum ovatum, acuminatum. 1*3-1*5 cm. longum.
Sepala lateralia connata, ovato-oblonga, subobtusa, 1*2-1*4 cm longa.
Petala oblonga, acuminata, 1*3-1*5 cm. longa. Labellum ovoideo-globosum,
1-1*2 cm. longum, ostio angusto. Staminodium spathulatum, cucullatum.
—Calypso borealis, Somoku Zusetsu, 1856, xviii. t. 85, non Salisb. C. cardiophyllum,
Franch. et Savat. Enum. Pl. Japon. 1879, vol. ii. pp 39 et 521.

An anomalous species, which was originally figured
in the Japanese work, Somoku Zusetsu, in 1856, under the
name of Calypso borealis, a mistake which was pointed out
by Reichenbach, in 1874, when he briefly described the
plant under the name of Cypripedium debile; his descrip-
tion being based solely upon this old figure. Five years
later Franchet and Savatier described a species under the
name of C. cardiophyllum, basing it chiefly on a specimen
collected on Fudsiyama, in the province of Nippon, by
Savatier. They cited, however, the old figure above
mentioned, and a still earlier one, in the Japanese work,
Honzo Zufu, published in 1828, where it appeared without
any botanical name. A reference to the work, however,
shows a thoroughly characteristic coloured figure, with both
flowers and young fruit. It is now known from several
Japanese localities, and has also been found by Père Farges

March 1908