DENDROBIUM SUPERBIENS. Native of Cape York (Q.). (Illustrated. ) 
Probably the finest of the Australian Dendrobiums, generally considered to be 
a natural hybrid between D, Phalaenopsis and Dend. undulatum. The stems are 
stout and tall, often reaching a height of 3 feet. They are woody, cylindrical, 
sometimes fusiform, often furrowed and generally striped with red—and are 
topped by a few lanceolate oblong, acute leaves whose long sheaths clothe the 
stems. The racemes grow from the apex of the new growths, and also from 
the upper nodes of the older stems, the same stems often flowering for several 
years in succession. They carry a number (up to 15 or 20) beautiful flowers 
which last some weeks. Sepals and petals are reflexed and semi-twisted, the lat- 
ter being rather broader than the former. They are a rich, dark reddish purple 
in colour, the sepals having a white edge. The labellum is a beautiful shade of 
purple with 3 to 5 keels on the disk. I find this plant does quite well in Brisbane, 
grown outside in a sunny place—it needs ample water all through the year. 
Under these conditions it flowers freely always in late Summer and Autumn, 
and often again in early Spring. Al. Bl. Cl. D1. El. (ea) FI. 
DENDROBIUM SUPERBUM. Native of Philippine Islands and Borneo, etc. 
A very splendid species with terete, drooping stems up to about 3 feet in length. 
It is deciduous, the oblong-lanceolate leaves falling before the flower buds form. 
The large flowers grow usually in singles (though sometimes in pairs) along each 
side of the stems. They are large, being up to 4 inches across. They are bluish- 
purple in colour, the lip having a couple of large reddish spots at the base. They 
are powerfully scented (to my mind unpleasantly) with an odour alleged to be 
similar to that of “‘Rhei barbari” (rhubarb). Al. B1. Cl. D1. (eb) F2. 
Var. anosum. Flowers smaller, sepals and petals narrower, not strongly scented. 
Var. giganteum, Flowers larger—often up to 5 inches across. 
Var. purpureo-marginatum. Sepals and petals white, the lip being purple with a 
white margin. 
(Syn. Dend. Huttonii). 
Var. Burkei. Flowers white, the lip being yellowish-white with two pale rose 
spots in the throat. Strongly scented as the type. 
DENDROBIUM TAURINUM. Native of Philippine Islands. 
A curious species with very long, erect, cylindrical, stout stems with broad oblong, 
somewhat elliptical, fleshy, coriaceous leaves about 6 inches long and 24 inches 
wide. The racemes grow from the axils of the leaves on the upper part of the 
stem and sometimes attain a length of 18 inches—they carry a good number of 
large, strangely shaped flowers, allegedly resembling the head of a bull (hence 
the name). The sepals are greenish yellow or white, with a greenish suffusion. 
The petals, which are long and erect, are twisted. They vary in colour—some 
varieties having them pale rose-pink—while in others they are light or dark 
purple. The lip also varies in the same way but in all varieties it has three deep 
coloured lines down the middle. Flowers in Summer. Al. Bl. Cl. D2. E1. 
(ea) F1. 
ESF) 
