284 ORCHIDS. 
of their length, the pair measuring tin. across, the free 
portion narrowed to tails; colour bright rosy carmine. 
This plant blossoms freely in spring, well-flowered plants 
making pretty and attractive-coloured specimens. It 
requires the treatment recommended for M. Harryana. It 
is a native of Peru, and was introduced into English 
gardens in 1874. 
Illustration Horticole, ser. ili., t. 196 (var. /7neata). 
M. Backhousiana.—A large-flowered, handsome species, 
flowers 16in. across having been produced on cultivated 
plants. The leaves and other characters are the same as 
those of M. Chimera, the difference between the two being 
in the size and colour of the flowers, those of M. Back- 
housiana being brighter and less thickly spotted with purple- 
brown. The lip, too, is narrower than in M. Chimera. There 
are many who incline to the opinion that the last-mentioned 
species is a very variable one, and that, in a botanical 
sense, many plants which are known in gardens as distinct 
species are merely varieties of it. M. Backhousiana was 
introduced from New Grenada in 1879. It blossoms in 
autumn and winter, the flowers lasting about a fortnight. 
It should be treated as recommended for M. Chimera. 
Sander’s Reichenbachia, t. 19. 
M. sentlis is a pale-coloured variety; the hairs on the 
surface of the flowers also are shaggier. 
M. bella.—One of the most remarkable of the species 
known as the Chimera section of Masdevallia. The flowers 
are large, and strangely formed, suggesting enormous 
spiders. The leaves are channelled, about 8in. long, 
broadest at the apex, narrowing downwards to a stalk-like 
base. The flower-scape is pendent or horizontal, 6in. long, 
thin and wiry, and bears a solitary flower, in which the 
three sepals are large, partly united by their edges, forming 
