ORCHIDS OF LESSER VALUE 175 



lover of Orchids, the late Mr J. Bateman and his collector, Mr 

 Colley, who found the species in British Guiana in 1837. 



BIFRENARIA 



This Brazilian genus is closely allied to Maxillaria, and, from 

 a horticultural point of view, differs chiefly in sometimes producing 

 its flowers in pairs instead of singly. The plants should be grown 

 in pans or baskets, in peat and sphagnum, and under the same 

 conditions as the Maxillarias, always remembering to give water 

 sparingly when they are not in active growth. The best and most 

 popular species, and one that often finds a place in an ordinary 

 plant stove, is Bifrenaria Harrisoni^. This has fleshy, fragrant 

 flowers, creamy white or pale yellow, with a purple, yellow-marked 

 lip ; the colour varies somewhat, and a few varieties have been 

 given distinctive names. B. Harrisoni^ usually flowers in the 

 Spring, while B. aurantiaca, which has yellow, orange-spotted 

 flowers, blooms in the Autumn. Other species sometimes grown 

 are B. tyrianthina, with purple flowers, and B. vitellina, with 

 yellow flowers. 



BLETIA 



The Bletias are easily grown cool-house Orchids, but they do 

 not find much favour with growers. The best species is B. hya- 

 ciNTHiNA, one that is practically hardy in the warmer parts of 

 England and Ireland. It has long, plicate, handsome, green 

 leaves, and carries its deep rose-purple flowers on slender spikes. 

 B. Shepherdii is more robust, growing three feet high and bearing 

 fair sized red-purple flowers, in which the lip is lined with yellow. 



