This plate has a hand-painted picture of the orchid commonly known today as a clamshell orchid. The latin name is epidendrum cochleatum, which is written on the reverse of the plate in script, as well as the term used in the early 19th century for this flower: two-leaved epidendrum.

According to one of the orchid sites on the web: "This orchid known mostly by it's common names - Clamshell orchid, Cockle Shell orchid or Octopus orchid. This species has the honor of being the first tropical epiphytic orchid to flower at Kew Gardens, England in 1787."

The plate meausres 8" in diameter. Circa 1820. I have overly enhanced the contrast on the image of the writing on the back in order to make it easily readable.