﻿AN ABNORMAL ODONTOGLOSSUM CERVANTESII, 97 



sometimes occur in other places, are considered quite constant. 

 Interesting in this connection is the opinion expressed by that 

 eminent Belgian horticulturist, Charles Lemaire,* who was 

 inclined to believe that intensity of color and size of flower 

 depended on locality, greater or lesser intensity of heat and 

 light and the relative time of flowering. He says: "Comma 

 chez la presque totality des plantes de cette curieuse famille, 

 les dimensions des fleurs et I'intensite de leurs coloris parait 

 beaucoup varier: circonstances qui semblent d^pendre unique- 

 ment de la station, des sommes diverses de la chaleur et de la 

 lumi^re, et des ^poques relatives oii se montrent les fleurs, 

 c'est-5--dire plusieurs fois dans la meme ann^e." 



While the above may be considered an argument for or 

 against the theory of the constancy of varieties, in view of 

 our experience with other varieties of widely different species, 

 the present attitude towards 0. Cervantesii and its immediate 

 relatives may be considered correct. But it is of interest to 

 note that, in the plants of Odontoglossum Cervantesii grown 

 in the Missouri Botanical Garden, the coloring of the labellum 

 seems to vary considerably in plants growing under identical 

 conditions and flowering at the same time. While in one 

 flower the labellum may be pure white, another flower on the 

 same plant may have a labellum with one bar in front of the 

 crest, while others again may show two, three, or even more 

 bars, sometimes with the addition of one or more red spots. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 



Plate 9. — Abnormal flower of Odontoglossum Cervantesii, X 2. In the 

 center the entire flower: the other figures are parts of the same flower 

 dissected. 1, 2. Sepals. 3, 4. Petals. 5. Column with a sepal attached. 

 6. Portion of enlarged wing of column, broken oEf. 



* Illustration Horticole. 1 : 12. 1854. 



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