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in Western China, in the Tchen-kéou-tin district of the province
of Szechuen. A single plant has also been collected
by Mr. E. H. Wilson, at an altitude of 7,000 feet in the same
province, though the precise locality has not been stated.

DESCRIPTION.—Herb, terrestrial, 4-6 in. high. Stem slender,
glabrous, two-leaved. Leaves broadly ovate, acute, membranous,
1 1/4-2 1/2 in. broad, with three to five primary nerves,
secondary veins reticulated. Scapes 3/4-1 3/4 in. long, arching.
Bracts linear, acute 1/2-1 in. long. Pedicels over 1/3 in. long.
Flowers small, with pale green sepals and petals, each
bearing a dark brown blotch at the base, forming a zone
round the column, sometimes striped with brown, and with
a white lip streaked with purple around the mouth. Dorsal
sepal ovate, acuminate, 1/2-3/4 in. long; lateral sepals connate
into an ovate-oblong, subobtuse limb, slightly longer than
the dorsal. Petals oblong, acuminate, as long as the dorsal
sepal. Lip ovoid-globose, nearly 1/2 in. long, much narrowed
at the mouth. Staminode spathulate, cucullate.—R. A.
ROLFE.

CULTIVATION.—Roots of this interesting little orchid
were purchased from the Yokohama Nursery Company.
They were planted in pans of leaf-mould and chopped
sphagnum and kept in an unheated frame where they flowered
in April. Although lacking the attractions of size and
colour so usual in the genus, Cypripedium debile has charms
of its own, and is quite worthy of a place among select
"Alpines." It is probably sufficiently hardy to be grown
permanently in the open air, although, owing to their
pose, the flowers would be practically hidden unless the
plants were set on the high ledge of a rockery, or grown,
as at Kew, in a pan and placed whilst in flower on the stage
of a greenhouse.—W. Watson.

Fig. 1, side of lip, in section; 2 and 3, side and front views of column:—
all enlarged.