39 



Some terrestrial orchids are natives of South Africa, especially 

 in the Cape of Good Hope district, whence we have had the 

 brilliant Disa grandiflora, which is scarcely equalled for beauty 

 amongst that species ol the group ; there, too, is found the blue 

 flowered orchid, Herscheha ccerulea. 



On the West Coast of Africa, in Madagascar, in Bourbon, 

 and Mauritius, is the head-quarters of the Angraecums, which 

 revel in much heat and moisture, and there (in Madagascar) the 

 Rev. W. Ellis spent a considerable time, two of the chief results 

 of his travels being the descriptive works which have interested 

 so many readers, and the introduction of the strange Angraecum 

 sesquipedale, which has been previously noticed. 



A few of the principal genera may be mentioned as examples 

 of the distribution of Orchids. Aerides, chiefly East Indies, Java 

 and Phillippines ; Angrascum, West Africa, Madagascar, &c., &c., 

 also a few in South America and Japan ; Cattleya, Brazil, Guate- 

 mala, Mexico; Cypripedium, East Indies, Archipelago, Europe, 

 and North and South America; Dendrobium, East Indies, Archi- 

 pelago, Philippines ; Japan and Australia; Epidendrum, Brazil, 

 Peru, Guatemala and Mexico; Laslia, similar ; Masdevallia, New 

 Grenada and Peru ; Odontoglossum, Guatemala, Peru and Mexico; 

 Oncidium, Brazil, Guatemala and Mexico; Phalasnopsis, Java, 

 Manila and Philippines ; Vanda, East India, Java, Borneo, China 

 and the Philippines. It is worthy of remark that in endeavouring 

 to imitate the natural condition under which orchids grow, it has 

 been thought that gases arising from decaying vegetation, always 

 more or less abundant in tropical countries, are beneficial to the 

 plants. In some degree this may be true, but travellers tell us 

 that orchids avoid all pestilential districts, and appear to prefer 

 the most healthful positions. Some advantage has, however, been 

 derived from large beds of leaves beneath the plants, though 

 probably this was due more to the constant moisture so provided 

 than to anything else ; one cultivator has, however, advocated the 

 employment of carbonate of ammonia in small quantities to 

 furnish a supply of ammonia. 



THE HISTORY OF ORCHIDS. 



IT would be impossible within the limits of a small treatise like 

 this to give an exhaustive review of the history of Orchids, but 

 a brief summary will permit some idea to be formed respecting 

 the advance made during this century, and the popularity 

 extended to these plants at the present time. 



