4 
than forms the most splendid and extraordinary began to make their appearance: produced too by plants which had 
been brought from countries whose Orchidaceous Flora was supposed to possess little of either novelty or interest. 
From Guiana for instance, which, according to Aublet, contained only two or three species, nearly a hundred have 
been already received, and in the number those marvellous plants Coryanthes maculata, and Cycnoches Loddigesit, 
which, when they flowered for the first time, were found not merely to be new to science, but to constitute genera 
with which botanists were altogether unacquainted. 
Having now explained the cause which has so long delayed the growth of a passion for the Orchidacez among 
us, we will next proceed to shew why, in our humble opinion, a popularity so great, and therefore so likely to wane, 
should in their case appear destined to endure; and to do this satisfactorily, it is clear we must notice some of 
the numerous modes in which they commend themselves to our attention and regard. Of these the most attractive is, 
perhaps, their beauty; and of their superiority in this respect, the most sceptical are even now beginning to be 
convinced — even now, we say, when our collections are only in their infancy, and when by far the great majority 
of the most magnificent species have flowered with us either imperfectly or not at all; but what when we come to see, 
in all their glory, and arranged in our stoves with all the advantages of mutual contrast and luxuriant foliage,—such 
plants as the Grammatophyllums and Saccolabiums of the Spice Islands! or the Dendrobiums of India!! or the 
Cattleyas, Sobrahas, Stanhopeas, and Oncidiums* of America!!! all of which 
“ In colour though varied, in beauty may vie ;” 
then, then, at least, all will admit that the eye never before rested on a mass of such surpassing loveliness, composed 
as it will be of an assemblage of flowers, each of which is considered the choicest ornament of the country where it 
spontaneously grows. 
And then their fragrance! We question whether even “ Araby the blest” can boast of any perfumes that can at 
all compete in sweetness with those exhaled by such plants as Angrecum odoratissimum (Lindley MSS), Tetrapeltis 
fragrans, irides odoratum, and Epidendrum aromaticum (Tab. X. of this Work). Other Species emit odours 
which remind the recipient of the smell of a druggist’s shop, of the milk of the cocoa-nut, of fresh hay, of wall flowers, 
violets, pomatum, aniseed, and angelica, of noyau, cinnamon, allspice, citron, musk, and honey.t Some of these yield 
no fragrance, except in the day-time, but there are others which, like Epidendrum nocturnum and Brasavola nodosa, 
are aromatic only by night, and there are none, we believe, which are positively offensive at any hour either of the night 
or day. 
Another characteristic of the tribe is the long duration of their blossoms. This assertion will appear to contradict 
what we before remarked, respecting the fleeting nature of some of the most extraordinary kinds; and, unfortunately, 
it is but too true in the case of such genera as Stanhopea, Catasetum, Cycnoches, and Coryanthes, which stand 
pre-eminent for the large size and strange configuration of their flowers; in many, however, of the more beautiful, 
though less complex forms, such as Lelia and Cattleya, and we may add with scarcely an exception, the whole tribe 
of Epidendree, the flower-spikes remain in perfection for weeks, and even sometimes for months together. Even in 
Vandez, where the genera are more short-lived than in any other division of the order, we know of none so fugitive as 
Coryanthes, which continues nevertheless in beauty for nearly two days. They bear carriage remarkably well, and 
while in blow they may be removed with safety (and sometimes even with advantage to themselves), into apartments of 
ordinary temperature, where their duration is much greater than in a stove. Indeed, it is easy to foresee the arrival, 
and that too at no distant period, of the time when their flowers will appear as much “ at home” in the British drawing- 
room as in the Mexican temple, and when they will be prized as highly by the English as by the Indian belle. 
We would next direct attention to a circumstance connected with their cultivation, which seems to place 
the family in a most advantageous light: we mean the much greater amount of interest which will be afforded by even 
a small house, if devoted to them, than could possibly be derived from one of four times the extent, if filled with plants 
of any other description. Their superiority in this respect shews itself in a variety of ways; in the first place, 
the space required for each individual is usually very small, and while the shelves, stages, or even flues, are preferred 
by some of the species, others of the true Air-plant and Denbrobium habit, may be suspended over their heads, so that 
two distinct tiers of vegetation are thus obtained. In the next place, the interest in the Orchideous House és never 
suffered to flag, something is constantly going on, either the opening of the flowers is to be expected, or the progress 
* Should there be any, especially among the softer sex, who may be disposed to cavil at the hard names which Botanists have given to these plants, the fair 
objectors may adopt (if they prefer them) those by which they are known in their respective localities; such as the following, for example, which are the simple 
appellations of some of the finest of the Mexican species, viz. “Tzauhxilotl,” “ Amazauhtli,” “Coatzonte coxochitl,” “Chichiltic tepetlauhxochitl.” Hrrnanpuz Re 
Mid. Lib. 8, Cap. 7. 
+ Stanhopea grandiflora, Bulbophyllum cocoinum, Oncidium ornithorhynchum, Acropera Loddigesii, Maxillaria atropurpurea, Airides odoratum, Epidendrum 
anisutum, E. umbellatum, Maxillaria crassifolia, Mawillaria aromatica, Gongora atropurpurea, Burlingtonia candida, Denbrobium moschatum, Cycnoches Loddigesti- 
The species are arranged in this note in the same order as their odours in the text. 
