Stauropsis
(from stauros, a cross, and opsis, appearance; so called from the shape of the flower). Erroneously printed Stauritis. SYN. Fieldia (of Gaudichaud). ORD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about eight species of stove, epiphytal Orchids, natives of the Malayan Archipelago (and the East Indies?) Sepals and petals free, much-spreading; lip continuous with the column, spreading, concave, not spurred, narrow, the lateral lobes short, the middle one rather long; pollen masses two; raceme few or many-flowered; peduncles lateral. Leaves distichous, spreading, coriaceous, flat. Stem leafy, not pseudo-bulbous. For culture of the following species, see Vanda. S. Batemanni (Bateman's).* fl. large and spreading; sepals and petals yellow, spotted with crimson in front, rosy-purple at back, fading to violet at the edge, thick and fleshy, falcate; lip purple-crimson, saccate at base, the front part furrowed and incurved, the disk bearing an elevated tooth, and its base a short, transverse crest; scapes long, erect, many-flowered. July to September. l. lorate, obtuse, and obliquely emarginate at apex, light green. Stem stout. Philippine Islands. SYNS. Fieldia lissochiloides, Vanda Batemanni (B. R. 1846, 59), V. lissochiloides.
S. fasciata (banded). fl. large, few in a spike; sepals and petals white, with yellowish-cinnamon bars inside, cuneate-oblong, acute; lip whitish, the tips of the side plates of the anterior part yellow, and a few purplish spots on the keel of the under side; basilar laciniae nearly dolabriform; peduncles stalked, trigonous. l. cuneate-ligulate, obtusely bilobed. Eastern tropical Asia, 1872. SYN. Trichoglottis fasciata.
S. gigantea (gigantic). fl. 3in. across; sepals and petals deep yellow, with cinnamon-brown blotches, oblong, obovate; lip white, fleshy, small, incurved, channelled, dolabriform, with short, rounded, basal auricles; racemes axillary, about half as long as the leaves. Spring. l. bold, distichous, dark green, broadly lorate, recurved, tough, 1 1/2ft. long, very obtuse, emarginate. Burmah, 1858. A majestic plant. SYN. Vanda gigantea (B. M. 5189; I. H. 277; R. X. O. ii. 112).