are each adapted to distinct conditions of life, and our failure arises 

 from our mistaking a general principle for an universal law. If a 

 great majority of Epiphytal Orchidese swarms in damp tropical 

 forests, there is a considerable minority which lives in an entirely 

 different climate, of which a few examples will not be without 

 instruction. Thus in the genus Oncidium itself, where almost all the 

 species are of tropical habits, O. nuhigenum is only found on the 

 cool mountains of Peru, at the height of 14,000 feet ; it will there- 

 fore require a treatment altogether distinct from that of the mass 

 of the genus. Dendrohium moiiiUforme and catenatum, again, occur 

 only in Japan, as far north as 37° or 38", or the parallel of Lisbon, 

 and are periodically subject to a very low temperature. 



But the most remarkable instances of a disposition on the part 

 of some Orchideous Epiphytes to depart from the ordinary habits of 

 the tribe are found in Australia and its dependency New Zealand. 

 In some extremely valuable observations upon the geographical dis- 

 tribution of the Orchideous plants of New Holland, which have been 

 placed in our hands by Mr. Allan Cunningham, we find a passage 

 which bears so directly upon this subject, that we cannot do better 

 than quote it entire. 



" There are two, if not three plants of this family," says this 

 enterprising and scientific traveller, " that grow on trees or rocks in 

 New South Wales, whose natural constitution should, in cultivating 

 them, form exceptions to the uniformly adopted mode of treatment of 

 Epiphytes generally in our English stoves ; namely, that in which 

 high temperature and considerable humidity are employed. These 

 are Dend. (Bmidum, J3r., an Epiphyte uniformly found upon the 

 rugged trunk of Eucalyptus resinifera or Ironbark, in the open very 

 dry forest grounds of the older colony at Port Jackson; — Cymbi- 

 dium canalicidatum, Br., which of late years has been observed 

 beyond the Tropic, both at Moreton Bay and still farther to the 

 southward at Hunter's River, growing upon the principal limbs of 

 several of the Eucalypti in the dry open shadeless forest. These two 

 Epiphytes flourish most luxuriantly in an extremely dry atmosphere, 

 and flower usually in the summer season in their native wilds, the 

 high temperature of which is oftentimes greatly increased by the 

 blighting hot winds, which not unfrequently prevail at that period 

 from the north-west. The third is I)endrohium undulatum of Mr. 

 Brown, a handsome species, originally discovered by Sir Joseph 

 Banks at Bustard Bay, and which has been lately found on bar- 

 ren hills, naturally clear of timber, upon the banks of the Bris- 

 bane River at Moreton Bay, where the plant forms tufts on bare 

 rocks exposed to the full heat of the sun, which during nine months 

 of the year is very considerable on that part of the coast. These 

 species were some years since received alive at Kew, from New 

 South Wales ; and with them was communicated, as a guide to 

 their culture, a note of the particular situations, with regard to expo- 

 sure to drought, &c. which they naturally occupy and delight in, in 

 their native wilds. These particulars were, however, in all probability 

 wholly unheeded in the King's Gardens — the plants were asso- 



