156 BURMA, IT>S PEOriE ASD PRODUCTIOyS. 



■worth recording. The flowers last hut one day, and it flowers (as far as I have 

 observed) but once a year. I had several (3 or 4) plants on trees in ditt'erent parts 

 of my garden in Mauliuain, and I noticed for one or two years that they all came 

 into flower on the very same day ! On one such day, when they happened to be in 

 flower. Colonel Benson, who was then residing iu llaulmain, came into my garden, 

 and I mentioned tliis carious circumstance to him, pointing in proof of my statement 

 to the several plants all at that moment in flower. He was naturally surprised and 

 not a little incredulous. He said, however, that he had one plant nailed to a tree in 

 the compound which he then temporarih' lived in. We walked up, accordingly, to 

 his house, and there, sure enough, his one plant was in flower ! All the flowei-s, his 

 and mine, wei'e withere(l before the next day. This singular circumstance is worth 

 further verification. The plant is rather frequent about Tavoy, with its very near 

 ally (a smaller plant of the same character), D. aiigiiltitum. 



D. FORMOSUM. 



This is the " Silver-flower" of the Burmese. It grows profusely in the neigh- 

 bourhood of ilaulmain, and may be found in blossom almost at any season of the 

 year. It is brought into the town in basket-loads during the rains, as it is a great 

 favourite with the Burmese, and is commonly seen in their houses and among their 

 offerings at the Pagodas. It is so well known as hardly to require description. 

 The flowers are very large — the largest of the genus, — being 5 inches in diameter, 

 of the purest white, save for a blotch of yellow in tlie centre of the lip ; and of a 

 delicate fragrance. The stems vary much in size — from 6 inches to 18. 



D. rNFONDIBULUlI. 



A nearly allied species to the preceding — very similar in form and general 

 appearance, but with smaller flowers and more slender .stems. It is abundant on the 

 mountains near Toung-ngoo, on Dauna-toung, near Maulmain, and elsewhere, at an 

 elevation of 4-5000 feet. Although so near to B. formosuin, as to appear to be only 

 a mountain variety, I could never succeed in making it grow in the plains. These 

 two species, together with D. Jamesianum, D. ebunteum, D. xanthopldcbiuiii, and one or 

 two more, all white-flowei'ed, form a group distinguished by Lindley as " nigro- 

 hirsute," as they are all marked by the presence of black hairs on the stems when iu 

 a young state. 



D. PlEKiRDII. 



Stems long (3-4 feet), pendulous, slender. Plowers in alternate pairs along nearly 

 their whole length, diaphanous, pale lilac, lip of a somewhat dingy yellow, with 

 purplish veins, the lower part rolled into a tube round the column. Common about 

 Maulmain and probably elsewhere. Very pretty when full of flower, but wanting in 

 colour. 



D. TKAySPAEENS. 



As Lindley says, " Yery like D. Pierarflii," but generally brighter in colour, 

 with stems very much shorter and stitfer, about 1 foot. I have only met with it 

 once or twice on the mountains near Toung-ngoo. 



D. CHRTSOTOXOJJ. 



A fine yellow-flowered species. Pseudo-bulbs clustered, thick, club-shaped from 

 a slender base, ribbed and jointed, with 3 or 4 oblong leathery leaves at the end. 

 Flower-stalks just below the leaves, bearing a drooping raceme of golden yellow 

 flowers, with a beautifully friuged lip. Abundant iu the Tenasserim Provinces. 

 This is surely D. davatum of Roxburgh. 



D. AGGBi;G.\Tra. 



Also a yellow-flowered species, but readily distinguished by the more crowded 

 pseudo-bulbs, which are ribbed or grooved, but not jointed, and have a habit of lying 

 almost flat, appressed against the branch on which they grow, also by the single leaves 

 and the much tbinner and more delicate textui'e of the flowers. Abundant, and 

 widely distributed. 



