EPISTEPHIUM. 181 



six inclies long, and liglit green. The flowers are produced 

 in branching panicles, which bear from seventy to eighty 

 flowers ; sepals and petals light purple ; lip white, and pink 

 in front. Native of Peru. 



E. vitellinum. — A small-growing plant, but one of the finest 

 of the genus. A very distinct Orchid, the pseudobulbs and 

 leaves glaucous. It blossoms during the greater portion of the 

 year, some plants throwing up their spikes in summer and 

 others in winter, lasting six weeks or more in good condition ; 

 sepals and petals rich orange scarlet; the lip bright yellow. 

 This is best grown in the cool-house with Odontoglossums, and 

 requires plenty of moisture at the roots. Amongst the 

 numerous fine examples of this species which I saw in Mr. 

 Dawson's collection, at Meadow Bank, was one magnificent 

 plant, with twenty-five spikes of bloom expanded, forming a 

 charming spectacle. Native of Mexico. 



E. viteUinum majus. — This is of the same colour as 

 E. vitellinum, the only difierence being in the flowers, which 

 are considerably larger, with the sepals and petals broader; 

 the flowers are also very thick and fleshy, and last in bloom 

 an immense time. It usually flowers during the summer 

 months, but sometimes sends up its brilliantly colom-ed 

 blooms during winter. A very rare plant. Same treatment 

 as the former. 



Epistephium. 



E. Williamsii. — This beautiful plant is nearly allied to the 

 Sohralias ; indeed, it has been sent home from Bahia, its 

 native place, under the name of S. sessilis. It makes a fleshy 

 fibrous underground root, and grows upwards of a foot high ; 

 the leaves are very dark and shining; the flowers large, of 

 a bright reddish purple, six or eight upon a terminal spike. 

 Being a terrestrial species, it should not be elevated above 

 the rim of the pot. It succeeds best potted in good fibrous 



