THE MOST USEFUL ORCHIDS 41 



From five to ten flowers are borne in one spike, and October and 

 November is the usual time of flowering. 



C. DowiANA is a glorious Orchid, with large, handsome yellow 

 flowers, produced from August to November. The sepals and petals 

 are yellow and the broad lip is velvety crimson-purple, most 

 gorgeously veined and streaked with deep gold. The variety c. d. 

 AUREA has more golden markings in the lip. 



C. Gaskelliana flowers in late Summer and Autumn. It 

 resembles C. Mossias in style of growth, but its fragrant flowers 

 are variable in colour. As a rule, the sepals and petals are white, 

 flushed with rose or pale purple, and the handsome lip is bright 

 violet-purple, with yellow markings in the throat. The flowers are 

 of large size. 



C. labiata is the most popular and useful member oi the 

 family, and large quantities of plants are annually imported in the 

 spring months. It has pseudo-bulbs six or eight inches high, each 

 surmounted by one bold leathery leaf of about the same length. 

 The large flowers are bright purplish rose, with a yellow-throated, 

 frilled, crimson - purple lip. Late Autumn is the flowering 

 season. There are numerous varieties, as the species shows a large 

 amount of colour variation. The white and nearly white varieties 

 are the most expensive, and they are very lovely ; on the other hand, 

 some of the richly-hued forms are of very great beauty. 



C. Lawrenceana is about a foot high, and is best grown in 

 a hanging basket at the warmest end of the house. It carries 

 several medium-sized flowers on a spike and these are deep rose- 

 purple with whitish throat. Spring is its flowering season. 



C. LoDDiGESii may grow as much as two feet high and its 

 stems are slender and not swollen into a distinct pseudo-bulb as in 

 the case of C. labiata and its near relatives. It flowers in Summer, 

 carrying several medium-sized flowers on a stout spike. The 



