76 



then on the point of returning to this country, determined to 

 take one of the plants under his special protection during the 

 voyage, which, flowering on the passage, seemed to preclude 

 the possibility of further confusion or disappointment. The 

 specimens produced at sea were exhibited, and the plant itself 

 placed in the stove at Knypersley, where it commenced grow- 

 ing with the utmost vigour. The season of flowering soon 

 arrived, but brought with it a recurrence of the former scene 

 of astonishment and vexation, for the blossoms, instead of 

 those of the coveted novelty, were not distinguishable from the 

 old C. ventricosum. These were still hanging to the stem 

 when the inexplicable plant sent forth a spike of a totally dif- 

 ferent character, and which was, in fact, precisely similar to 

 the specimens gathered in Guatemala, and to those produced 

 on the voyage. It is, at present, impossible to attempt any 

 explanation of so strange a phenomenon, especially on the 

 supposition that the two forms of flower are analogous to the 

 male and female blossoms of other tribes, for C. ventricosum 

 alone not unfrequently perfects seeds." 



The plant here alluded to is a Cycnoches, which at one 

 time bears large green flowers, in a short spike, with broad 

 flat sepals and petals, and a convex white ovate undivided 

 labellum ; and at another produces small blackish simple 

 flowers in a very long drooping spike, with narrow sepals and 

 petals rolled back upon the stalk, and a circular purple label- 

 lum, with the edge broken up into many fingers, a lancet- 

 shaped appendage at the point, and a kind of horn springing 

 from the middle. These things are so totally different that, 

 notwithstanding the strange sportings represented at fol. 1951 

 of this work, and the unquestionable authority of Mr. Bate- 

 man, there were many persons, well skilled in the habits of 

 Orchidaceae, who felt convinced that some mistake had been 

 made, and that in reality it was impossible that such totally 

 different flowers could have been borne by one and the same 

 plant. 



But what is impossible in nature ? 



On the 15th of September last, I received from Robert 

 Steyner Holford, Esq. of Westonbirt, near Tetbury in Glouces- 

 tershire, a flower-spike bearing flowers of Cycnoches ventri- 

 cosum and C. Egertonianum intermixed; it was exhibited at a 

 meeting of the Horticultural Society, and I now produce a 

 figure of it. The plant which bore this specimen had been 



