Plate VI. 



LA'AAX lilGANTKA. 



\n opiphylo of vigorous habit, with tall, Blender, furrowed, terete -i« ml^ bearing a pnii of thick, ligulate, bluntish 

 leaver Ho floweratcra, which issues from a epatho proceeding from between Uio leaver supports fom <-r 

 fivo largo and rather handsome flowers, which measure -i\ inchc* across. The ecpoli are obloug-Ianceolute, 

 the tab ■ somewhat decurred, and nil, us well us the b ', blunt, oblong, almosl sp illiuli p 



a pale, grcctiisfa-wliii Ml, especially towards the tips with row, and dightl) speckled with eta p 



purple The li|» u tbrco-Iobcd; tin* lateral lobe* small and rather acute; the middle brood, rounded, slightly 

 waved, and almost entirely *»f « deep rich viold row, while the throat of the tube-like portion u white, and 

 ilu' tins of the La*-i;0 lobe* violcfri 



Uelia gioavra, Warner, tf&; Aw /% //^/. &C-, ii. 247* 



This is one of I ho finest Lalia* we have had the pleasure of introducing, and its flowers arc quite distinct 

 from those of any other kind we have met with. The plant from which our drawing was made, was imported 

 by us from Brazil a few years ago* and is the only one that has come under our notice. It bloomed in the 

 spring of the present year for the first time, when it was exhibited at one of the meeting* of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society at South Kensington. The plate affords a good representation of the plant, which in 

 growth i* like L. elegant, except that the leaves arc longer. 



There is no doubt that the £<*//« rank among our finest Orchids, and their habit being compact, their 

 foliage evergreen, and their flowers generally large and showy, they make line exhibition plants- Our 

 present subject, as already mentioned, grows in the way of L> cteguus, and reaches about eighteen inches in 

 height, with numerous stems, on Ihc top of which grow the dark green leaves, which attain a length of 

 twelve inches. The flowers proceed from a sheath, which is formed after the leaves have finished their growth, 

 and as many as four or five (lowers, each measuring six inches across, are borne on a spike. The petals are 

 of a delicate lilac, beautifully spotted with rose-purple, the lip being of a rich ruse-purple. The plant blooms 

 during March and April, and continues in perfection from four to live weeks, if kept at the coolest end or 

 the house, and free from damp. 



The I*&tia# t like the Caltltyn, are in their native country found growing on the branches of trees, and 

 on rocks* Those that are found on trees require shading; while those which are found in more exposed 

 situations, where they arc subjected to &un*licat, do not require so much protection of this kind. It must be 

 remembered, however, that when confined in our hothouses they require more shelter of this kind than when 

 exposed in a slate of nature on the branches of trees ; for there they get the free current of air, as well as 

 shade from the branches. To grow them to perfection these wants must be supplied, by shading them from the 

 burning sun, but they should not have loo much shade: the blinds, for examples should never be down when 

 the son is nut shining Strongly- A little sun morning and evening will nut do any harm, provided there 

 is moisture in the house, 



Ltdia gigunlea is a free-growing as well as free-flowering plant* and requires to be grown with CatlUym 

 and other Orchids that come from Brazil. It 13 best grown in a pot with peat mid goal drainage* as it is 

 strong-growing species ; it ia also more readily managed when grown in this way, though it will succeed well 

 on a block with sphagnum moos. The plant requires a season of rest as well as of growth. It commences 

 to grow after it lias done blooming, which is in spring) when the heat is on the increase. It requires a i^ood 



