ORCHIDS OF LESSER VALUE 195 



inches high, and has arching spikes of small, white and green 

 flowers. The flowers are set closely together, and are each about 

 three quarters of an inch across. It should be grown in pans, in 

 peat, broken leaves, and sphagnum, and placed in a warm house. 



PAPHINIA 



The Paphinias form a small family of interesting Orchids 

 from South America. They need a shady place in the warmest 

 house, and a continually moist atmosphere ; but when not in full 

 growth, a small quantity of water at the roots will suffice. They 

 should be planted in peat, leaf mould, and sphagnum, in shallow, 

 well-drained pans. The flowers are about four inches across, and 

 rather short lived. The most notable species are P. cristata, 

 yellow, heavily marked with purple- brown, and with a curious 

 tuft of hairs on the lip ; and P. grandiflora, creamy white, 

 marked with red-purple. 



PERISTERIA 



The one species of horticultural merit in this genus is the old 

 " Dove Orchid," a plant introduced long ago from Panama. It is 

 Peristeria elata, a strong growing plant with broad, green 

 leaves a yard high, and stiffly erect, stout spikes rising sometimes 

 six feet high, and bearing on the upper portion a number of 

 rounded, fleshy, white flowers, faintly speckled with purple. The 

 winged column bears a fanciful resemblance to a Dove, hence the 

 popular name, adapted from the native " Santos Spiritus," or 

 " Holy Ghost Orchid." P. elata grows well in a shady part of 



