for its origin I was delighted to find a fine specimen of Galeola in full flower. 
This strange Orchid grows from a tuberous root deep down in the earth. It has 
no leaves but sends out a long brown stem up to half or three-quarters of an inch 
in thickness which, fastening on to a large tree trunk by means of clusters of 
adventitious roots, ascends forty to fifty feet. It sends out numerous panicles 
about 18 inches or two feet long densely covered by yellowy brown flowers each 
of which is about two inches across. The labellum is pink and white with a 
crinkled edge. A beautiful thing but alas! of no value to the horticulturist, as 
it will not bear transplanting—but suddenly to come across one in full bloom 
is to add another treasure to your store of beautiful memories. 
The Orchids I have mentioned so far have all been of the epiphytic type, 
and most of them, in individual cases at any rate, are well enough known to most 
Queensland Orchid lovers. But we have in this State many terrestrial or ground 
Orchids which in their own way are beautiful. 
In my young days I remember the joy we had in getting great bunches of 
the little purple ground Orchid Glossodia minor, which we used to call Spring 
Stars. I have seen the ground in certain coastal districts turned into a rich purple 
carpet by the multitude of these little flowers. They were a lovely thing, and now 
in my graver years I have twinges of conscience at the memory of the many 
thousands of these I plucked as a youth. But young though I was at the time, I 
still cherish memories of those royal carpets in the clearings amid the gum trees 
near Scott’s Point. 
Recently a member of the Queensland Orchid Society showed a little clump 
of Corybas aconitiflorus (or Helmet Orchid) at a monthly show. Some ot those 
present were inclined to be facetious at the expense of this tiny flower as compared 
with the striking blooms of Cypripediums, staged near it. But I have seen that 
same little flower growing in a massed formation under natural conditions. I can 
assure you that the sight of some hundreds of these blood-red flowers backed by 
the deep green of their foliage is one of my treasured memories. 
I have always recommended any beginner in Orchid culture to start off with 
a few local Orchids, and to use these as a means of building up his technique in 
potting and general culture. But I do not by any means suggest that our South 
Queensland Orchids are only suitable for the inadept handling of the neophyte. 
On the contrary, I consider that every Orchid grower should have in his collec- 
tion a representative selection of the local Orchids. If we treat these plants as 
Orchids and not as something between a freak and a weed, we will find ourselves 
amply recompensed in the resultant growth. Take little Dendrobium aemulum 
for example. I recently saw a large-sized pan completely filled with this plant in 
full bloom, and a lovelier sight it would be hard to find. 
In my opinion a plant or so of each of the following Orchids will add interest 
and beauty to any collection:—Dendrobium speciosum with its variety Hillii, 
D. Kingianum, D. falcorostrum, D. gracilicaule and its hybrid gracillimum, D. 
tetragonum—a specimen plant of which is a beautiful sight when in full bloom, 
D. aemulum and D. monophyllum already referred to, D. linguiforme—a dainty 
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