oncmnE.E. 157 



D. Daltiocsianum:. 



A noble species. Stems often ")-G feet long when found in dump shady forests 

 ■which it affects, drooping. Flowers in loose racemes, near the end of the stems, of 

 6-7 flowers, 4 inches across, cream-coloured ; lip large, saccate, but hardly slipper- 

 shaped, with two large deej) blood-red blotches on the inside, the middle and front 

 part projecting forwards and covered "with u soft yelvety pile. Abundant in the 

 Tenasscrim forests. The stems, however long, are but of one rainy season's growth, 

 at the clo.sc of -which thiiy flower for the first tiuie, whilo the leaves remain on, but 

 the same stems will flower also the second and third year, after the leaves have 

 fallen off, new racemes proceeding from the leaf- axes next below those of the 

 preceding year. As there has been some confusion in respect of this and two 

 nearly allied species, I subjoin below characters which, I hope, may suffice to 

 distinguish them. They have all three been under my eye in a growing state at 

 the same time. 



B. D.VLnousiANUjr. 



Stems terete, 5-6 feet, pcnilulous, marled with red-purplr litie.i. Leaves 

 lanceolate, obtuse. Racemes lateral, but towards the end of the stem, 6-8 flowered. 

 Sepals oblong-olituse. Petals oblong-ovate obtuse, broader than the sepals. Lip 

 bagged, or boat-shaped, villous, with the central >itari/in fanii'd outwards. The 

 flowers are very large, 4 inches across ; cream-yellow, but delicately tinged with 

 rose; the lip is of the same general colour, with two deep, rii'b, blood-red blotches 

 on the inside. Column and anther dark jjurple. 



D. CALCEOLARrA. 



Stems terete, 4-5 feet, pendulous, not marhed with purpJe linen, hid stippled 

 toa-ards the base with green and purple dots, llacemes 5-8 flowered. Sejxils oblong- 

 obtuse, very widespixMil. Petals olilongo-ovate obtuse, much broader. Lip slipper- 

 shaped, not at all pointtd, lint with the central maryin turned in, very villous, or soft 

 with pile. Tlu^ flowers are of the same general colour as those of J). Dalhousianuin, 

 though more deeply tinged with rose, and smaller, about 3 inches across. Lip yellow- 

 ish, with two dei'p red-purple blotches, and crested or fimbriated veins. Column 

 and anther dark purple. 



D. JIOSCHATUM. 



Stems terete, pendulous, 4-5 feet, stipphnl. Leaves lanceolate obtuse. Racemes 

 5-8 feet. Sepals lanceolate acute. Petals rhomboido-ovate obtuse, broader. Lip 

 slipper-shaped, very obtuse, villous outside. Flowers orange-yellow, 2.^-3 inches 

 across. Lip of the same colour, with two deej) crimson blotches on the inside, 

 and five crested fimbriated veins. Column and anther greenish-yellow. 



D. FIMBRIATUM. 



In general character like the three foregoing species, but the flowers, whirh 

 are golden yellow, are much smaller — 2 inches across. The lip is not slipjx'r- 

 shaped, and the edge all round is beautifully fringed. The stems have no special 

 markings. 



Of the four species here described, J). Jtalhmsianum and D. calceolaria have creamij 

 white flowers tinged with rose. B. mosehntum and 1> fimhriatum have yelluw flowers. 

 D. Dalhousiamim may always be infallihhj distinguished by the pui-ple lines on the 

 first season's stems, whereas those of D. calceolaria are stippled and not striped. 

 As the stems of D. moschatum, however, are also stippled, 1 know no mark whereby 

 to distinguish this species from J>. calceolaria when out of flower. When in flower, the 

 colour alone (yellow) is sufficient mark. I), fimbriatum may at all times be dis- 

 tinguished from the other three, both by the absence of all special marking, and by 

 the circumstance that its .stems (according to my experience) invariably taper at both 

 ends, being stoutest in the middle. All four are beautiful Orchids — but I). Dal- 

 housianum bears the palm. I may add, that I), moschatum and J). calceolaria smell 

 strongly of rliubarb and magnesia, the other two do not. They are all abundant in 

 the Tenasserim Provinces, except 1). calceolaria, which I never found but once. — 



