i6o THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



Fulvescens. — Large and spreading. Sepals and petals 

 reddish orange, lip clear brightest orange, so lightly poised 

 that it quivers at a breath. It has as many as forty flowers 

 from one bulb sometimes. 



Denningiana. — Very large. Sepals and petals whitish 

 green, lip brown. 



Mooreana. — An extraordinary variety of L. Locusta, which 

 itself is extraordinary enough. Reichenbach described Locusta 

 in his lively way : ' Green sepals, green petals, green lip, 

 green callus, green ovary, green bract, green sheath, green 

 peduncle, green bulbs, green leaves — just as green as a green 

 grasshopper or the dress of some Viennese ladies.' Mooreana 

 is larger, and the heavy fringe of the lip has a faint yellow 

 shade. 



SOBRALIAS 



It may be granted that all classes of orchid are not 

 equally beautiful, but to compare one with another in this 

 point of view is futile. Each has its own charm which 

 individual taste may prefer, and to set Cattleyas, for instance, 

 above Odontoglots is only to demonstrate that for some 

 persons size and brilliancy of hue are more attractive than 

 grace and purity. But in any competition of the sort 

 Sobralias must rank high. They are all large, they have 

 every fascination which colour can give, and the delicate 

 crumpling of the lip, characteristic of this genus alone, is one 

 of Nature's subtlest devices. Gardeners also approve them, 

 for they need less attention perhaps than any others, and 

 they grow fast. The sagacious reader will begin to ask by 

 this time what are the disadvantages to set against all these 

 merits ^ There is only one, but for too many amateurs it is 

 fatal — the glorious flowers last scarcely two days. Certainly 

 a spike will carry four or five, or even six, which open one 



