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Platyclinis (From platys broad and clinis)

(from platys, broad, and clinis, a couch; alluding to the broad, membranous clinandrium). SYN. Dendrochilum (in part). ORD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about eight species (formerly referred to Dendrochilum) of stove, epiphytal orchids, with stems tufted at base, or sub-ramose and simple and one-leaved towards the base, and scarcely thickened or narrowly pseudo-bulbous; they are natives of the East Indies and the Malayan Archipelago. Flowers small, in numerous, terminal racemes, shortly pedicellate; sepals narrow, spreading; petals similar or smaller; lip sessile or shortly unguiculate at the base of the column, ovate, concave, almost equalling the sepals; column erect, semi-terete; anthers two-valved; pollen masses four, ovoid. Leaves narrow, contracted into petioles. The species described below, which are those best known to gardeners, thrive well in pots, in a mixture like that recommended for Liparis.

P. Cobbiana (Cobb's). fl., sepals and petals sulphur-coloured; lip orange-coloured, flabellate; inflorescence zigzag. l. and pseudo-bulbs like those of Dendrochilum latifolium. Philippines, 1881. SYN. Dendrochilum Cobbianum.

P. filiformis (thread-like). fl. pale yellow, in small, in long, threadlike racemes. l. linear-lanceolate. Pseudo-bulbs small, conical. Manilla, 1836. (I. H. 1878, 323, under name of Dendrochilum glumaceum.) SYN. Dendrochilum filiforme.

P. glumacea (glumaceous). fl. white, very fragrant, sessile, in a linear-oblong, pendulous, elongated spike, borne on the curved peduncle. l. solitary, broad-lanceolate, rather obtuse, striated, tapering into a long footstalk, which is inclosed by the sheathing scale. Pseudo-bulbs crowded, the younger ones clothed with two or more large, generally reddish scales, within which is a much larger, sheathing scale, 3in. to 4in. long, tinged with red.