420 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Cylista continued. 



It thrives in a compost of loam and peat. Cuttings will 

 root in sand, if placed in bottom heat, and covered with 

 a glass. 



C. alblflora (white-flowered). A synonym of Rhynchosia cyano- 



gperma, albiflora. 

 C. scariosa (scarious). fl. pale yellow, mixed with red ; calyx 



very large, scarious, with the upper segment emarginate, lower 



one very large. East Indies, 1806. 



CYMBIDIUM (from kymbe, a boat; referring to a 

 hollow recess in the lip). ORD. Orchidece. A genus of 

 about thirty species of stove orchids, for the most part 

 natives of India, the Malayan Archi- 

 pelago, and China, two species are 

 African, three Australian, one New 

 Caledonian, and one Japanese. Many 

 of them have small and inconspicuous 

 flowers; but a sufficient number of 

 handsome species are to be found in the 

 genus to induce the cultivator to have 

 it well represented in any house, how- 

 ever small. Their characteristic features 

 are to be found in the long, narrow, 

 sword-shaped leaves, and in the label- 

 lum, which is ornamented with a pair 

 of curved elevated lines on the lower 

 part; the sepals and petals are linear- 

 oblong. When once established, Cym- 

 bidiums are not difficult to grow ; but, on account of 

 their thick fleshy roots, they are by no means easy to 

 restore, if imported in a bad state. They succeed best 

 cultivated in pots, and should be placed in a compost 

 of good rough peat, sphagnum, and a little sharp sand. 

 The thin-leaved kinds, especially, must never be dried, or 

 the loss of many leaves will, as a consequence, follow, to 

 the great disfigurement of the plants; but it should be 

 borne in mind that there must be a great difference 

 made in the quantity supplied during the summer and 

 winter. Cymbidiums, when not growing, should be kept 

 somewhat cool, and plenty of fresh air given at all times, 

 avoiding cold chills. 



Cymbidium continued. 

 C. affine (kindred), fl. white, with a few purplish dots on the 



anterior of the lip ; racemes many-flowered. I. linear-acuminate, 



rigid. India, 1878. (F. M. n. s. 346.) 

 C. aloifolium (Aloe-leaved), fl. rich pale purple, with a long, 



almost black, stripe down the centre ; spikes drooping, many- 



FIG. 589. CYMBIDIUM EBURNEUS 



FIG. 590. FLOWER OF CYMBIDIUM GIGANTEUM. 



flowered. September. 1. very thick and fleshy, h. 1ft East, 

 Indies, 1789. (L. B. C. 967.) 



C. bicolor (two-coloured).* fl, resembling those of C. aloi- 

 folium, but distinguished from that species by the presence 

 of a sac at the bottom of the lip, and also a number of stains 

 and stripes of very deep crimson. April. Ceylon, 1837. 



C. canaliculatum (channelled).* /., 

 sepals and petals purplish - brown, 

 edged with green ; lip greenish-white, 

 with a row of pink spots just within 

 the edge ; racemes drooping, bearing 

 numerous moderate - sized flowers. 

 April. 1. broadly linear - elongate, 

 keeled. Stem short, compressed, 

 almost pseudo bulbous. North- 

 eastern Australia, 1870. (B. M. 5851.) 

 C. Dayanum (Day's).* fl. yellowish- 

 white, marked with port-wine coloured 

 streaks on the middle lines of sepals 

 and petals, and a similar border and 

 numerous small streaks on the lip ; 

 racemes many-flowered, pendulous. 

 I. about 4ft. long, narrow. Assam. 



C. Devonianum (Duke of Devon- 

 shire's).* fl., sepals and petals light 

 brown, with dull mauve-purple streaks 

 and blotches; lip white, with nu- 

 merous dark purple lines and blotches, 

 the acute, reflexed, anterior part 

 wholly of a fine dark purple, almost 

 rhomboid ; racemes nodding, many- 

 flowered. I. lanceolate-oblong, acute, 

 with long channelled petioles. India, 

 1837. (P. M. B. 10, 9f.) 



C. eburneum (ivory).* /. deliciously 

 fragrant, very handsome, large, Tulip- 

 like ; sepals ivory-white; petal and 

 lip stained with pale yellow ; racemes 

 erect, usually one (but sometimes 

 two) flowered. February. I. narrow, 

 sword-shaped, distichous, bright light 

 green. With age, this very rare spe- 

 cies forms a stout stem-like pseudo- 

 bulb, but, when young, it shows no 

 sign of this. East Indies, 1846. See 

 Fig. 589. (B. B. 33, 67.) There are 

 one or two varieties. 



