35 



* LYCASTE plana. 

 Even-flowered Ly caste. 



GYNANDRIA MONANBRIA. 



Nat. ord. Orchidace/e, § Yandex. Maxillarid^. 

 LYCASTE. Lindl. in hujus voluminis 7niscell. p. 30. 



h. plana (Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 1842, misc. 9G.) bractea suprema cucullata 

 ovario longiore, sepalis oblongis planis basi in cornu brevi couico con- 

 natis, petalis conformibus apice tantum recurvis, labelli trilobi lobis la- 

 teralibus apice crenulatis intermedio subrotundo serrato callo elevato 

 obtuso obsolete trilobo, columna pubescente, anthera villosa. 



A Bolivian plant imported by Messrs. Loddiges, with 

 whom it flowered in October last. It is conspicuous for the 

 large size of its leaves, and is in fact very near L. macrophylla, 

 from which it differs in the petals being quite even, not un- 

 dulated, and in the lateral sepals being much more exactly 

 oblong. Added to which is a greater degree of bluntness 

 on the tubercle of the lip. The beauty of the flowers of L. 

 plana is far greater than in L. macrophylla, which wants the 

 rich red-wine colour of the plant before us. 



Fig. 1. represents the lip spread open; 2. the column, and 

 3. the pollen-masses with their slender caudicula. 



Like other species of Lycaste this requires to be grown 

 in turfy peat; the pot to be half filled with potsherds, and the 

 soil considerably elevated above its brim. Care must be 

 taken not to have its pseudobulbs imbedded in the soil, or 

 they will damp off. In summer, after the plant has com- 

 menced growing, plenty of water should be given to its roots, 

 and a slight syringing over head once or twice a day as the 

 weather permits. The house should be shaded in sunny days, 

 and the temperature kept about 80° by day, and 70** by night. 



* A fanciful name. Lycaste was a beautiful woman. 



