Physosiphon
(from physao, to inflate, and siphon, a tube; referring to the slightly-inflated tube of the flowers). ORD. Orchideae. A small genus (about four species) of stove epiphytal orchids, natives of tropical America, having the habit of Pleurothallis. Flowers small, in elongated racemes; sepals connate at base into an ovoid or urceolate tube, which is three-fid at the apex; petals fleshy, obovate-cuneate; lip small, articulated with the base of the column, in form like the other petals; pollen-masses two, ovoid. The species are of no great horticultural value. Those described below require culture similar to Pleurothallis (which see).
P. Loddigesii (Loddiges'). fl. yellow-green in the lower half, the rest deep red-orange, distantly disposed in an erect, racemose spike; scape very slender, filiform. July. l. solitary, one-nerved, oblong, sub-spathulate, obtuse. Rhizome slender, giving rise to several plants. Mexico. (B. M. 4869; L. B. C. 1601, under name of Stelis tubata.) P. punctulatus (slightly-dotted). fl. greenish-yellow, purple-spotted, minute. l. cuneate-oblong. Bogota, 1870. An insignificant orchid. (Ref. B. 96.)