THE MOST USEFUL ORCHIDS 121 



dull months of the year. M. vexillaria is variable ; M. v. alba 

 or M. V. virginalis has white flowers ; M. v. Chelsiensis is 

 deeply coloured, and so is M. v. Crimson King ; M. v. Cobbiana 

 is pink, with a white lip ; M. v. Daisy Haywood is particularly 

 fine, lightly rose tinted on the sepals and petals, and with a 

 yellow base to the big white lip; M. v. Leopoldii is deep rose, 

 with a dark maroon blotch at the base of the lip ; and M. v. 

 Memoria G. D. Owen is bright rose with a dark rich crimson- 

 purple base to each segment; it is a fine and strikingly distinct 

 variety. There are numerous other varieties, but these are among 

 the finest. 



M. Bleuana is the finest hybrid (Af, vexillaria x M. 

 Roezlii) ; the sepals and petals are white, shaded with rose at the 

 base, and the broad white lip has a handsome red-brown blotch 

 at the base, extending in front of the yellow disk. M. B. aurea 

 has a conspicuously large yellow disk, and M. B. nobilior is 

 larger than the original hybrid, and is pure white except for the 

 large, rayed red-brown blotch and the deep yellow disk on the 

 lip. M. St Andre [M. Roezlii x M. Bleuana var.), is a very 

 pretty hybrid recently raised. 



Other Species and Hybrids 



M. Bluntii is supposed to be a natural hybrid between M. 

 spectabilis and M. Clowesii; it produces its yellow and brown 

 flowers in the late Summer. M. Clowesii resembles C. Candida, 

 but flowers in the Autumn. M. flavescens has yellowish flowers. 

 M. Phal^nopsis has white, purple-streaked flowers. M. Schrce- 

 DERiAXA has brown and yellow sepals and petals, and a white and 

 purple lip; it is a rare Costa Rican species. M. Warscewiczii is 

 red-brown, with a rose and white lip on which the red-brown 

 basal blotch is very bright and distinct ; M. W. Weltoni is a 



