Zosterostylis
(from zoster, a riband, and stylos, a column; alluding to the band which surrounds the column). Cryptostylis is now the correct name. ORD. Orchideae. A small genus (seven species) of stove or greenhouse, terrestrial Orchids; three inhabit the East Indies and the Malayan Archipelago, and the rest are Australian. Flowers rather large, in a loose raceme or spike; sepals and petals sub-equal, very slender, convolute and appearing subulate when the flower opens; lip superior, sessile, with a broad base inclosing the column, contracted above the column, and expanded into an undivided lamina; column very short; scapes leafless, simple, two or many-sheathed; bracts membranous, acute. Leaves few or solitary, on rigid petioles, oblong or narrow, membranous. For culture of Z. arachnites, the only species introduced, see Spiranthes.
Z. arachnites (cobwebby). fl. few or many in a loose spike 3in. to 8in. long, sessile; petals dull green, linear, and, as well as the longer sepals, much spreading; lip yellowish, mottled and lined with purple, pubescent or cobwebby, erect, elliptic-ovate or lanceolate, acute, grooved; scape 6in. to 18in. high, the base (and petioles) purple. l. long-petiolate, ovate, acuminate, striatenerved. Root consisting of a few elongated tubers. Ceylon, 1863. (B. M. 5381.)