232 ABOUT ORCHIDS. 
anum from O. Harryanum and O. hystrix. And 
it must be observed that we cannot trace 
pedigree beyond the parents as yet, saving 
a very, very few cases. But unions have been 
contracting during cycles of time; doubtless, 
from the laws of things the orchid is latest 
born of Nature’s children in the world of flora, 
but mighty venerable by this time, neverthe- 
less. We can identify the mixed offspring of 
O. crispum Alexandre paired with O. gloriosum, 
with O. luteopurpureum, with O. Lindleyanum ; 
these parents dwell side by side, and they could 
not fail to mingle. We can already trace with 
assurance a few double crosses, as O. danceans, the 
result ofan alliance between O. crispum Alexandre 
and O. Ruckerianum, which latter is a hybrid of 
the former with O. gloriosum. When we observe 
O. Roezlit upon the bank of the River Cauca and 
O. vexillarium on the higher ground, whilst O. 
vexillarium superbum lives between, we may con- 
fidently attribute its peculiarity of a broad dark 
blotch upon the lip to the influence of O. Roeg/zz. 
So, taking station at Manaos upon the Amazons, 
we find, to eastward, Cattleya superba, to westward 
C. Eldorado, and in the midst C. Arymeriana, 
which, it is safe to assume, represents the union of 
the two; for that matter, the theory will very soon 
