340 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Saccharum—continued. 
and sub-tropical regions. Spikelets at the sides of the 
branchlets, dense, or ple and twin, one sessile, the 
other pedicellate; glumes four, three of whicb are 
empty, acute or somewhat bristly-acuminate ; panicle 
terminal, densely pilose, sometimes ample and densely 
bundle-flowered, sometimes contracted into a dense spike. 
Leaves flat or narrow, convolute when dry. The most 
important species is S. oficinaruwm, the Sugar Cane of 
commerce, one of our most valuable economic produc- 
tions. It has been cultivated from time immemorial. 
The manufacture of sugar is supposed to have been 
derived from China. Some of the species are orna- 
mental plants; a selection of the best-known is given 
below. They are all of simple culture in a light, rich 
soil, with a good heat. Propagation may be effected by 
suckers; or by cuttings of the stems, which will throw 
out shoots at their joints. The under-mentioned species 
require stove treatment, except where otherwise stated. 
S. eegyptiacum ( tian).* fl., panicle sa hag 3 me , crowded ; 
10in. to 12in. long ; lower branches compound, July. /. numerous, 
long, ribbon-like, with a white midrib, and covered with soft, 
silky hairs, which impart a aeeai appearance to the plants. 
Stems about 7ft. high. Algeria, 1866. A vigorous grass, forming 
a gigantic tuft, and rivalling Bambusa, Erianthus, and Gynerium. 
See Fig. 400 (page 339). 
S. M (Munja). f. all hermaphrodite; panicle large, oblong, 
spreading, the branches whorled, supra-decompound. Summer, 
l. hispid, marginate, long-linear, white-nerved, channelled. Stems 
8ft. to 10ft. high. Benares, 1 Plant wholly glabrous, except 
on the inside of the leaves at base. 
officinarum (officinal). Sugar Cane. fl., palea half as long 
as the third glume; outer glumes pointed, half to one third as 
long as the wool; panicle large, pyramidal, the common axis 
sulcate, the joints and pedicels glabrous below the wool. July. 
l. long and broad, dark green, hanging in graceful curves, Stems 
yellowish-green, stout, erect. k. 10ft. East Indies, 1597. 
S. o. violaceum (violet), A. midrib of the second glume sup- 
Per tems of a rich violet or plum-colour. West Indies, 
S. (tall). jl., panicle diffuse, the branches whorled, 
compound and decompound. July. Z. ensiform, the midrib white, 
the ins slightly hispid. Stems erect, l0ft. to 20ft. high. 
Bengal, 1822. This is allied to S. oficinarum. 
S. sinense (Chinese). /l. bivalved, unilateral; panicle ovate, the 
branches whoried, simple and compound. Stems 6ft. to 10ft. 
high. China, 1822. Greenhouse. ; 
SACCOCHILUS. A synonym of Saccolabium 
(which see). 
SACCOLABIUM (from saccus, a bag, and labium, 
a lip; alluding to the baggy lip). Syns. Robiquetia 
and Saccochilus. Including Œceoclades (in part). ORD. 
Orchideæ. This genus embraces about thirty species 
of very fine, stove, epiphytal orchids, natives of 
the East Indies and the Malayan Archipelago. Flowers 
racemose or scattered, shortly pedicellate; sepals sub- 
equal, free, spreading or erecto-patent, flat or con- 
cave; petals nearly similar, sometimes broader, rarely 
narrower; lip sessile at the base of the column, spurred 
or saccate at base, the lateral lobes erect, often small, 
the middle one spreading or erect, polymorphous; column 
short; pollen masses two; peduncles lateral, simple or 
branched. Leaves distichous, spreading, coriaceous, 
fleshy, or slender, flat or rarely terete. Stems leafy, not 
pseudo-bulbous. “In their habit of growth, the species 
of Saccolabium are similar to those of Aérides, and they 
require the same degree of heat, and the same general 
treatment, except that they are best grown in baskets 
suspended near the roof, so that they may receive all 
the light possible, and not too much shade—only enough 
to preserve their foliage from being scorched. The more 
light they receive, the more vigorous and better matured 
will be their growth, and this will lead to the production 
of fine floral racemes. They will also thrive in pots, 
placed near the glass, and on blocks; but, grown on this 
latter plan, they require more water. They are propagated 
in the same way as the Aérides, and are liable to become 
infested by the same sorts of insects” (B. S. Williams). 
The best-known species are here described. Some of 
j 
Saccolabium—continued. 
them should find a place in every collection, as they are 
very handsome plants, even when not flowering. 
S. acutifolium (acute-leaved).* fl. about Zin. in diameter, in 
small corymbs, on stiff peduncles 2in. to Sin. long; sepals and 
petals yellow, obovate, acute ; lip pale pink, concave at base, 
where it has a rounded lobe on each side. Z. 6in. long, sessile, 
slightly amplexicaul, Neca, Smead very acute, flat, ve ern 
fleshy. Stems 6in. high. Khasya, 1837. (B. M. 4772 and P. M. B. 
vii. 145, under name of S. denticulatum.) 
S. ampullaceum (flask-formed). A synonym of S. rubrum. 
S. bellinum (pretty). A. borne in a compact corymb, on a 
decurved peduncle; sepals and petals straw-colour, blotched 
with dark brown; lip white, spotted with mauve-purple, fleshy, 
having on each side a large cushion of filiform processes, yellow 
and spotted withred in the centre. February and March. 
l. lorate, obliquely bifid. Stems erect, short. Burmah, 1884. 
(W. O. A. 156.) 
S. Berkeleyi (Berkeley’s).* fl. large, disposed in a loose raceme ; 
sepals and petals white, spotted and striped with amethyst ; lip 
acute, not bilobed, the anterior blade amethyst. ł. præmorse. 
Probably Andaman Islands. A beautiful species. 
S. bigibbum (bigibbous).* fl. about eight in a drooping, 
corymbose, shortly-pedunculate raceme ; sepals and etal ale 
yellow, spathulate ; lip remarkable, white, triangular, with a 
very broad, blunt spur, the edges frilled, the centre yellow. 
November. l. persistent, linear-oblong, bifid, bright green, about 
4in. long. Stems very short. Rangoon, 1868. A rather rare, 
close-growing species. (B. M. 5767.) 
S. Blumei (Blume’s). A synonym of Rhynchostylis retusa. 
S. borneense (Bornean).* f. of a peculiar ochre-cinnamon colour, 
something like those of a Sarcanthus, produced in a nodding, 
dense raceme ; sepals and petals oblong, acute, connivent ; spur 
of the lip clavate and depressed, with an abrupt, broad top ; side 
lacinie rounded and toothleted, the middle one almost terete, 
oe an —e l. broad, short, unequally bilobed, very fine. 
orneo, ; 
S. buccosum (inflated). M. yellowish, with a few dark purplish- 
brown dots on the side laciniz of the lip and on the spur, erect, 
small; sepals oblong, acute ;» — ovate, shorter than the 
sepals; blade of the lip trifid, the lateral segments ovate, 
acute, the middle one lanceolate, acute, carinate; raceme few- 
flowered, rather dense. J. —— obliquely and obtusely 
bilobed at apex. Moulmein, 1871. 
S, oulouterase (beautiful-winged).* fl. rich purple, white at the 
base of the sepals and petals, rather large, much. like those of 
Vanda cerulescens ; spathulate, acute ; lateral laciniæ of lip 
elongated, with a free, acute apex ; middle one triangular, acute, 
much smaller; panicle flexuous. New Guinea, 1882. 
S. coeleste (celestial).* A., sepals and petals ti with sky-blue, 
blunt, cuneate-oblong; anterior part of the —— the com- 
, recurved spur also having a blue tint on both sides of its 
centre ; two falcate, su es rise from the apex inside the 
spur ; inflorescence short and dense, Sin. to 4in. long. Probably 
Moulmein. Habit similar to that of S. curvifolium. 
S. curvifolium (curved-leaved).* A. cinnabar-red, small, crowded 
in erect, axillary racemes, freely produced. May and June. 
l. linear, acutely preemorse, deflexed, channelled, light green. 
` Stem erect, 6in. to 12in. high. East Indies. A fan Bune, 
compact species, thriving well on a block suspended from the 
roof. (I. H. 493; W. O. A. 107; B. M. 5326, under name of 
sub- 
S. miniatum.) 
S. c. luteum (yellow). f. clear yellow. 
variety. 
S. dives (rich). /. whitish-yellow, small, very numerous. J. stout, 
straight, linear-ligulate, unequally bilobed at the apex, Tin. long, 
oo gin. wide. India (Bombay district), 1875. A very curious 
plant. 
S. flexum (bent). i. red; sepals and petals ligulate, obtuse 
or acute ; lip trifid, the lateral laciniz obtuse-angled, minute, the 
middle one triangular with a thickened limb; racemes small, 
porrect. New Guinea, 1 
S. fragrans (fragrant). fl. white, numerous, violet-scented, in 
rich racemes; tops of the sepals and petals, and the whole of 
the pandurate lip, fine mauve-purple ; spur curved, blunt. Z. few, 
oblong, acute, full of rugosities and depressions, reticulated, 
— green, with some dirty purple underneath. Burmah, 
Moulmein. A rare 
S. furcatum (forked). fl. white, spotted with rose-colour, more 
loosely disposed than in Rhynchostylis retusa. July and August. 
l. stout, about 8in. long. India, Java. A distinct and somewhat 
slow-growing species. 
giganteum (gigantic).* fi. very sweetly perfumed, freely pro- 
duced, in long, dense, drooping racemes ; pS ai — white, 
spotted with amethyst ; lip of a beautiful mauve-violet, cuneate, 
dilated. Winter. l. broadly lorate, 1ft. long, 3in. wide, obliquel: 
bilobed, stout, streaked. Stem short, erect. Burmah, Vee, 
Ghee 5635; W. O. A. 56.) Syn. Vanda densiflora (F. d. S. 
S. g. illustre (illustrious). f, richer-coloured, er, and more 
loosely — y than in the type; lip of a —— hue; raceme. 
