304 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 





LYCASTE (called after Lycaste, the beautiful daughter 

 of Priam). Including Colax and Paphinia. ORD. Orchidecs, 

 A genus comprising about twenty-five species of very 

 ornamental stove or greenhouse epiphytal or terrestrial 

 Orchids, natives of tropical America, extending from Peru 

 to Mexico and the West Indies. They are nearly allied 

 to Anguloa. The genus is remarkable in having the 

 middle of the lip furnished with a transverse, fleshy, entire 

 or notched appendage. The species are of easy culture, 

 and especially valuable to the amateur grower, as they 

 require very little artificial heat. They should be potted 

 in rough fibrous peat and sphagnum, and drained well ; 

 for, although these plants produce stout pseudo-bulbs, 

 which would enable them to sustain life for a long time, 

 they nevertheless increase faster, and flower more pro- 

 fusely, when kept moderately moist during the resting 

 season. Whilst growing, Lycastes can scarcely have too 

 much water, always providing it is allowed to pass away 

 quickly, and that plenty of air be admitted. Propagated 

 by division, after flowering. Stove species, except where 

 otherwise stated. 



L. aromatica (aromatic).* fl. yellow, disposed in spikes ; lip very 

 hairy. Winter and spring. Mexico, 1828. A common and very 

 free-flowering, warm-house species, remaining in beauty for four 

 or five weeks. (B. R. 1871, under name of Marillaria aromatica.) 

 L. BarringtoniSD (Mrs. Harrington's). /. greenish, nodding; 

 perigonal divisions ovate-oblong, pointed ; lateral cohering, and 

 forming a bluntly conical spur-like auricle ; lip smaller ; middle 

 lobe ovate-oblong, blunt, ciliate ; scape as long as the petioles. 

 ApriL I. oblong, pointed, tapering to the slender petiole. 

 Jamaica, 1790. (B. R. 1206, under name of Maxillaria ciliata.) 

 L. B. grandiflora (large-flowered). This differs from the type 

 chiefly in the very large size of the flowers, which are as much as 

 5in. in diameter. West Indies, 1868. (B. M. 5706.) 

 L. cristata (crested).* /. white outside, interruptedly banded 

 with purple inside ; petals purple, whitish at base ; scape pendu- 

 lous, few-flowered. June to August. I. oblong-lanceolate, 

 shortly stalked, plicate. Trinidad, 1834. Intermediate. (B. M. 

 4836, under name of Paphinia cristata ; B. R. 1811, under name 

 of Maxillaria cristata.) 

 L. cruenta (bloody). 

 orange ; lip deep orange, 

 Guatemala, 1841. This very free-flowering species thrives in a 

 vinery, or even a greenhouse. It remains in beauty a month. 

 (B. R. 1842, 13, under name of Maxillaria cruenta.) 

 L. Deppei 

 brow 

 cres 



though not very handsome, warm-house species, flowering freely, 

 and remaining in beauty for a considerable time. SYN. Maxil- 

 laria Deppei (B. M. 2335). 



L. fulvescens (tawny). fl. tawny, orange; sepals lanceolate, 

 lateral ones falcate ; b'p oblong ; lateral segments small, acute ; 

 middle one ovate, obtuse, fringed, with a fleshy emarginate 

 appendage, h. 2ft. Columbia. (B. M. 4193.) 



L. glgantea (gigantic), fl., sepals and petals green, shaded with 

 brown, from 3in. to 4in. long; lip of a deep purple colour, 

 margined with rich orange, serrated ; column white. June and 

 July. Central America, 1848. (B. M. 5616 ; B. R. xxxi. 34.) 



.* fl., sepals greenish-yellow ; petals deep 

 ge, blotched with crimson. March and Aril. 



. , , . 



eppei (Deppe's) * fl. pale greenish-yellow, blotched with 

 wn ; lip white, spotted with crimson, having a golden-yellow 

 st Winter and spring. South Mexico, 1828. A distinct, 



FIG. 482. FLOWER OF LYCASTE JUGOSA. 



L. jugosa (ridged).* fl. about 2in. in diameter; sepals cream- 

 colour ; petals white, with numerous stripes of rich dark purple : 

 lip white, irregularly striped and veined with deep velvety-purple ; 

 scape erect, two or three-flowered. April and May. I. in twos, 

 dark green, 2in. broad. Pseudo-bulbs smooth and somewhat 



Lycaste continued. 



ovate. Brazil, 1867. The compost best suited for this warm- 

 house species is one formed of chopped sphagnum and good peat, 

 to which some medium-sized lumps of charcoal may be added, 

 with considerable advantage. SYN. Colax jugosus. See Fig. 482. 



L. lanipes (woolly-stalked). /. solitary; sepals and petals 

 creamy-white ; lip white, beautifully ciliated or fringed along its 

 margin. October. 1. lanceolate, 12in. to 18in. long. Pseudo- 

 bulbs large. South America, 1848. Often met with in 



, . 

 under the name of L. Earringtonice. 



ith in collections 



L. lasioglossa (hairy-lipped).* fl. 5in. long, inclined ; sepals dull 

 cinnamon-brown, spreading, narrow-oblong; petals golden- 

 yellow, one-third the length of sepals, arched, with rounded 

 tips ; lip golden-yellow, with purple spots on the midlobe, narrow, 

 about equalling the sepals; midlobe clothed with interlaced 

 hairs ; scape stout, with a sheath above the middle. I. 8in. to 

 12in. long, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, plaited, bright green. 

 Pseudo-bulbs 3in. long, ovoid, compressed, grooved. Guatemala, 

 1872. Intermediate. (B. M. 6251.) 



L. lingnella (small-tongued). fl. whitish ; lateral sepals deflexed. 

 January. Peru (?), 1871. This plant is closely related to L. ciliata 

 and L. lanipes. (B. M. 6303.) 



L. Puydtii (Puydt's). fl. green, with a few dark purple-brown 

 spots on the central part of the sepals, and numerous confluent 



ones on the petals ; lip livid violet. Brazil, 1880. 

 a variety of L. jugosa. SYN. Colax Puydtii 



Probably only 

 (I. H. n. s. 369). ' 



L. Skinneri (Skinner's).* fl. from 4in. to 6in. across, solitary ; 

 sepals and petals white, more or less suffused with rose ; lip rosy- 

 lilac, frequently very heavily blotched with the deepest rosy- 

 crimson ; scapes from 6in. to 12in. high. November to March. 

 1. solitary, long, broad, dark green, plaited. Pseudo-bulbs large, 

 dark green. Guatemala, 1842. A splendid species, and one of 

 the most profuse-flowering orchids in cultivation. (B. M. 4445.) 

 It has numerous very beautiful varieties, of which the following 

 is a good selection : 



L. S. delicatissima (very delicate), fl. large, about 6in. across ; 

 sepals and petals pinkish-white ; lip white, intermixed with rose. 

 February. (W. S. 0. 10.) 



L. S. glorlosa (glorious), 



ls rich rosy-pink, somewhat lighter inside ; lip white 



ft., sepals very large and broad, pale 

 r, som 

 Guatemala. 



L. S. picturata (spotted), fl. large, 7in. across ; sepals and petals 

 s ; lip white, spotted, and heavily stained 

 (W. S. 0. 10.) 



pink ; petals 

 towards the front. 



strongly tinged with rose ; 

 at the base with crimson. 



L. S. purpnrata (purple), fl. large, 6in. across ; sepals and petals 

 blush-white ; lip rich crimson-purple. (W. S. 0. 10.) 



L. S. rosea (rosy), fl. large, quite 7in. in diameter ; sepals and 

 petals rich dark rose; lip white, spotted with crimson. Guate- 

 mala. A very fine variety. 



It, S. superba (superb), fl., sepals and petals blush- white; lip 

 very rich crimson. Guatemala. Another splendid variety. 



L. S. virginalis (virginal), fl., sepals and petals snow-white; lip 

 white, with a faint tinge of lemon towards the base. Guatemala. 

 A very handsome but rare variety. 



L. Smeeana (Smee's). fl_. white, except the lip, which has a light 

 purple border of the triangular acute undulate anterior lacinia, 

 rows of small purple stripes, and spots over the whole surface ; 

 petals purple-spotted on the inside. Probably a hybrid between 

 L. Deppei (having similar flowers) and L. Skinnsri. 



L. tetragona (tetragonal), fl. green, yellow, and purple, soli- 

 tary; sepals oblong, obtuse, spreading; petals similar, but 

 smaller ; lip fleshy, ventricose, tnree-lobed, erect ; lateral lobes 

 small, acute ; middle one convex outside. June. I. oblong- 

 lanceolate, plicate. Pseudo bulbs tetragonal, h. 6in. Brazfl, 

 1830. (B. M. 3146, under name of Maxillaria tetragona : B. R. 

 1428.) 



LYCHNIS (the old Greek name given by Theo- 

 phrastus to this or a similar plant, from lychnos, a lamp, 

 perhaps referring to the brilliancy of the flowers). Rose 





FIG. 483. SEED VESSEL OF LYCHNIS. 



Campion. Including Agrostemma, Githago, Melandrium, 

 Petrocoptis, and Viscaria. ORD. Caryophyllece. A genus 

 comprising about thirty species of ornamental hardy 

 annual or perennial plants, widely spread over the 



