Tab. 4297 . 
PHAL.^NOPSIS AMABILIS. 
Indian Butterfly-Ilant. 
Nat. Ord. Orchide^.—Gynandria Monandria. 
Gen. Char. Perianthium explanatum, patens, sepalis liberis, petalis majoribus 
dilatatis. Lahellwm cmn basi paulo producta colunmae connatum, libemm, basi 
callosum, trilobiun; lobis lateralibus ascendentibus petaloideis, intermedio an- 
gustiore bicirrboso. Columna in ovarium recumbens, semiteres; rostello gladiato. 
Anthera bilocularis. Pollinia 2, subglobosa, caudicula plana spathulata, glandula 
maxima cordata.—Herba epiphyta. Caides radicantes, simpUces. Folia rigida, 
lato-lanceolata, apice oblique retuea. Flores paniculati. Lindl. 
Phaljenopsis amabilis. 
Phal^nopsis amabilis. Bluyne, Bijdr. Rwmphm, t.\M. Lindl. Bot.Reg. 
1838. t. 34. Gen. et Sp. Orchid, p. 213. 
Epidendrum amabile. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1351. Swartz, Orchid, p. 184. 
Angr.j;cum album majus. Rumph. Herb. And. r. 6./?. 99. t. 43. 
This noble Orchidaceous plant, though introduced to our 
Stoves ten years ago, by Mr. Cuming from Manilla, is still perhaps 
the choicest and most higlily prized of the family. Indeed, there 
is not a more chaste or lovely flower among all the OrchiderB ; 
and it has the merit of continuing a long time in blossom, one 
single plant at the Royal Gardens of Kew having been in bloom 
through the whole of the present winter (1846-7). There is, 
indeed, a danger of its flowering too freely, and so exhausting 
itself; and we have on that account been obliged to nip ofl* some 
of the flowering branches; especially as we do not find the species 
to increase readily. The species was first detected at Amboyna, 
by Rumphius. In Java, and probably in the Malayan Islands 
generally, it seems abundant. It grows freely, attached to a 
piece of wood, together with a little moss, suspended from a 
rafter of the stove. The graceful racemes and branches, having 
a pendent character, frequently display their blossoms in front of 
the dark green foliage, which sets them off to great advantage. 
The generic name, PJialanopsis, was given to the plant from a 
fancied resemblance to a moth or butterfly: ^dxmva, a mot/i, 
and oyjris, resemblance. 
may 1st, 1847. ^ 
