340 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Saccharom continued. 



and sub-tropical regions. Spikelets at the sides of the 

 branchlets, dense, or ample and twin, one sessile, the 

 other pedicellate; glumes four, three of which are 

 empty, acute or somewhat bristly- acuminate ; panicle 

 terminal, densely pilose, sometimes ample and densely 

 bundle-flowered, sometimes contracted into a dense spike. 

 Leaves flat or narrow, convolute when dry. The most 

 important species is 8. officinarum, the Sugar Cane of 

 commerce, one of our most valuable economic produc- 

 tions. It has been cultivated from time immemorial. 

 The manufacture of sugar is supposed to have been 

 derived from China. Some of the species are orna- 

 mental plants; a selection of the best-known is given 

 below. They are all of simple culture in a light, rich 

 soil, with a good heat. Propagation may be effected by 

 suckers; or by cuttings of the stems, which will throw 

 out shoots at their joints. The under-mentioned species 

 require stove treatment, except where otherwise stated. 

 S. segyptiacum (Egyptian).* /., panicle silvery-silky, crowded; 

 lOin. to 12in. long ; lower branches compound. July. I. numerous, 

 long, ribbon-like, with a white midrib, and covered with soft, 

 silky hairs, which impart a greyish appearance to the plants. 

 Stems about 7ft. high. Algeria, 1866. A vigorous grass, forming 

 a gigantic tuft, and rivalling Bambusa, Erianthus, and Cfynerium. 

 See Fig. 400 (page 339). 



S. Munja (Munja). fl. all hermaphrodite : panicle large, oblong, 

 spreading, the branches whorled, supra-decompound. Summer. 

 I. hispid, marginate, long-linear, white-nerved, channelled. Stems 

 8ft to 10ft. high. Benares, 1805. Plant wholly glabrous, except 

 on the inside of the leaves at base. 



. (officinal). Sugar Cane, fl., palea half as long 

 as the third glume ; outer glumes pointed, half to one-third as 

 long as the wool ; panicle large, pyramidal, the common axis 

 .silicate, the joints and pedicels glabrous below the wool. July. 

 I. long and broad, dark green, hanging in graceful curves. Stems 

 yellowish-green, stout, erect. A. 10ft. East Indies, 1597. 

 S. o. violaceum (violet). /., midrib of the second glume sup- 

 pressed. Stems of a rich violet or plum-colour. West Indies, 



S. proccrum (tall), fl., panicle diffuse, the branches whorled, 

 compound and decompound. July. I. ensiform, the midrib white, 

 the margins slightly hispid. Stems erect, 10ft. to 20ft. high. 

 Bengal, 1822. This is allied to S. officinantm. 



S. sinense (Chinese), fl. bivalved, unilateral ; panicle ovate, the 

 branches whorled, simple and compound. Stems 6ft. to 10ft 

 high. China, 1822. Greenhouse. 



SACCOCHILUS. A synonym of Saccolabinm 

 (which see). 



SACCOLABIUM (from sacc.us, a bag, and labium, 

 a lip; alluding to the baggy lip). STNS. Boliquetia 

 and SaccochiluB. Including (Eceoclades (in part). OED. 

 Orchidea. This genus embraces about thirty species 

 of very fine, stove, epiphytal orchids, natives of 

 the East Indies and the Malayan Archipelago. Flowers 

 racemose or scattered, shortly pedicellate; sepals sub- 

 equal, free, spreading or erecto-patent, flat or con- 

 cave; petals nearly similar, sometimes broader, rarely 

 narrower; lip sessile at the base of the column, spurred 

 or saccate at base, the lateral lobes erect, often small, 

 the middle one spreading or erect, polymorphous ; column 

 short; pollen masses two; peduncles lateral, simple or 

 branched. Leaves distichous, spreading, coriaceous, 

 fleshy, or slender, flat or rarely terete. Stems leafy, not 

 pseudo-bulbous. " In their habit of growth, the species 

 of Saccolabium are similar to those of Aerides, and they 

 require the same degree of heat, and the same general 

 treatment, except that they are best grown in baskets 

 suspended near the roof, so that they may receive all 

 the light possible, and not too much shade only enough 

 to preserve their foliage from being scorched. The more 

 light they receive, the more vigorous and better matured 

 will be their growth, and this will lead to the production 

 of fine floral racemes. They will also thrive in pots, 

 placed near the glass, and on blocks ; but, grown on this 

 latter plan, they require more water. They are propagated 

 in the same way as the Aerides, and are liable to become 

 infested by the same sorts of insects" (B. S. Williams). 

 The best-known species are here described. Some of 



Saccolabium continued. 



them should find a place in every collection, as they are 

 very handsome plants, even when not flowering. 



S. acutifolium (acute-leaved). /. about jin. in diameter, in 

 small corymbs, on stiff peduncles 2in. to 3in. long; sepals and 

 petals yellow, obovate, acute ; lip pale pink, concave at base, 

 where it has a rounded lobe on each side. I. 6in. long, sessile, 

 slightly amplexicaul, oblong-lanceolate, very acute, flat, apparently 

 fleshy. Stems 6in. high. Khasya, 1837. (B. M. 4772 and P. M. B. 

 vii. 145, under name of S. denticulatum.) 



S. ampullaceum (flask-formed). A synonym of S. rubrum. 



S. bellinum (pretty). Jl. borne in a compact corymb, on a 

 decurved peduncle ; sepals and petals straw-colour, blotched 

 with dark brown ; lip white, spotted with mauve-purple, fleshy, 

 having on each side a large cushion of filiform processes, yellow 

 and spotted with red in the centre. February and March. 

 1. lorate, obliquely bifid. Stems erect, short. Burrnah, 1884. 

 (W. O. A. 156.) 



S. Berkeley! (Berkeley's).* fl. large, disposed in a loose raceme ; 

 sepals and petals white, spotted and striped with amethyst ; lip 

 acute, not bilobed, the anterior blade amethyst. I. praeinorse. 

 Probably Andaman Islands. A beautiful species. 



S. bigibbum (bigibbous).* fl. about eight in a drooping, sub- 

 corymbose, shortly-pedunculate raceme ; sepals and petals pale 

 yellow, spathulate ; lip remarkable, white, triangular, with a 

 very broad, blunt spur, the edges frilled, the centre yellow. 

 November. 1. persistent, linear-oblong, bifid, bright green, about 

 4in. long. Stems very short. Rangoon, 1868. A rather rare, 

 close-growing species. (B. M. 5767.) 



S. Blumel (Blume's). A synonym of Rhynchostylis retusa. 



S. borneense (Bornean).* fl. of a peculiar ochre-cinnamon colour, 

 something like those of a Sarcanthus, produced in a nodding, 

 dense raceme ; sepals and petals oblong, acute, connivent ; spur 

 of the lip clavate and depressed, with an abrupt, broad top ; side 

 laciniae rounded and toothleted, the middle one almost terete, 

 with an apiculus. I. broad, short, unequally bilobed, very fine. 

 Borneo, VOL. 



S. buccosum (inflated). Jl. yellowish, with a few dark purplish- 

 brown dots on the side laciniac of the lip and on the spur, erect, 

 small ; sepals oblong, acute ; petals ovate, shorter than the 

 sepals ; blade of the lip trifld, the lateral segments ovate, 

 acute, the middle one lanceolate, acute, carinate ; raceme few- 

 flowered, rather dense. I. ligulate, obliquely and obtusely 

 bilobed at apex. Moulmein, 1871. 



terum (beautiful-winged).* fl. rich purple, white at the 

 the sepals and petals, rather large, much like those of 

 Vanda ccerulescens ; petals spathulate, acute ; lateral laciniae of lip 

 elongated, with a free, acute apex ; middle one triangular, acute, 

 much smaller ; panicle flexuous. New Guinea, 1882. 



S. cceleste (celestial).* fl., sepals and petals tipped with sky-blue, 

 blunt, cuneate-oblong ; anterior part of the lip blue, the com- 

 pressed, recurved spur also having a blue tint on both sides of its 

 centre ; two falcate, subulate bodies rise from the apex inside the 

 spur ; inflorescence short and dense, Sin. to 4in. long. Probably 

 Moulmein. Habit similar to that of S. curvifolium. 



S. curvifolinm (curved-leaved).* fl. cinnabar-red, small, crowded 

 in erect, axillary racemes, freely produced. May and June. 

 1. linear, acutely prsemorse, deflexed, channelled, light green. 

 Stem erect, 6in. to 12in. high. East Indies. A handsome, 

 compact species, thriving well on a block suspended from the 

 roof. (I. H. 493 ; W. O. A. 107 ; B. M. 5326, under name of 

 S. miniatum.) 



S. C. luteum (yellow), fl. clear yellow. Moulmein. A rare 



variety. 



S. dives (rich), fl. whitish-yellow, small, very numerous. I. stout, 

 straight, linear-ligulate, unequally bilobed at the apex, 7in. long, 

 about !in. wide. India (Bombay district), 1875. A very curious 

 plant. 



S. flexnm (bent), fl. red; sepals and petals ligulate, obtuse 

 or acute ; lip trifld, the lateral laciniae obtuse-angled, minute, the 

 middle one triangular with a thickened limb; racemes small, 

 porrect. New Guinea, 1882. 



S. fragrans (fragrant), fl. white, numerous, violet-scented, in 

 rich racemes ; tops of the sepals and petals, and the whole of 

 the pandurate lip, fine mauve-purple ; spur curved, blunt. I. few, 

 oblong, acute, full of rugosities and depressions, reticulated, 

 dark green, with some dirty purple underneath. Burmah, 



S. furcatum (forked), fl. white, spotted with rose-colour, more 

 loosely disposed than in Rhynchostylis retusa. July and August. 

 I. stout, about 8in. long. India, Java. A distinct and somewhat 

 slow-growing species. 



S. giganteum (gigantic).* fl. very sweetly perfumed, freely pro- 

 duced, in long, dense, drooping racemes ; sepals and petals white, 

 spotted with amethyst ; lip of a beautiful mauve-violet, cuneate, 

 dilated. Winter. 1. broadly lorate, 1ft. long, 3in. wide, obliquely 

 bilobed, stout, streaked. Stem short, erect. Burmah, 1864. 

 (B. M. 5635; W. O. A. 56.) SYN. Vanda densiflora (F. d. S. 

 1765-6). 



S. g. illustre (illustrious), fl. richer-coloured, larger, and more 

 loosely disposed, than in the type ; lip of a brighter hue ; raceme 



