OECHIDS. 69 



partially pinnate fronds, and simple, unbranched spadix, is often 

 not more than 3 feet high when in fruit. Other species are 

 C. elegans, C. humilis, C. desmoncoides, and C. graminifolia. 

 C. tenella is doubtfully present ; but, if it were, British Honduras 

 would possess not only the most majestic of pinnate- leaved 

 palms, but also the smallest of known species. 



To most people in the colony, as well as to their friends 

 at home, orchids, so easily cultivated, and yet so bright and 

 beautiful in flower, are of great interest. British Honduras 

 cannot boast of orchids equal in profusion, in delicious fragance, 

 and in brilliant colours, to those of New Grenada, Quito, and 

 Peru ; but in many species attractive to the eye, as well as 

 in delicacy of fragance, the country possesses many representa- 

 tives. The two commonest orchids in the colony are Schom- 

 burgkia tibicina and Epidendrum bicornutum. These cover the 

 trunks of trees in dense masses, both along the coast, where 

 they are exposed to the salt spray, as well as some places inland. 

 Both have strong fleshy and somewhat hollow stems, and flower 

 profusely. Possibly the handsomest orchid in the colony is 

 Brassovola Digbyana, very common on logwood-trees in swamps 

 in the north, but rare elsewhere. Another species (Brassovola 

 caudata) is very common in the neighbourhood of Belize, and 

 in dry places in the north. Oncidium and Epidendrum, are the 

 more widely distributed genera ; but Gongora, Cliysis, Maxillaria, 

 Cycnodes, Catasetum, Mormodes, Coryanthes, and Dichcea are also 

 well represented. Two species of Epidendrum (E. corJileatum 

 and E. fuscatum), confined chiefly to the hills in Jamaica, are 

 found here at sea-level. Also Pleurotkallis tribuloides, found at 

 4,000 feet in Jamaica, is met with at sea-level at Point Ycacos. 

 On the stem of pimento-palms in the pine-ridges the somewhat 

 rare and very handsome G-aleandra Baurii flowers after the 

 autumn rains; while hanging from the forks of the crabboe- 



