PHAL.ENOPSIS 



to be found in the orchid family. The plants are natives 

 of the hot regions of India and the Malay Archipelago, 

 growing on trunks of trees and sides of rocks under 

 conditions of high temperature and great moisture. 

 The flowers are remarkably beautiful in form and color. 

 Those of the larger species are borne in graceful 



1735 Phatenopsis amabihs (X ^4) See No 1 



drooping panicles, on which they usually all face in one 

 direction. 



The plants are of monopodial growth, having short 

 stems which increase slowly in length : Ivs. few, thick, 

 leathery, often mottled : inflorescence a raceme or 

 panicle, large, or not longer than the Ivs. : sepals spread- 

 ing, the lateral ones more or less united with the base 

 of the column : petals about as large as the sepals or 

 very much broader; labellum variously shaped but 

 united with the base of the column. About 40 species. 

 Heinrich Hasselbking. 



The species of Phalfenopsis are all truly epiphytal, 

 and are found growing in their native habitats on rocks 

 and trees at very low altitudes or at sea-level in moist 

 but often exposed situations where the rains during 

 their growing season are frequent and excessive, and 

 the temperature registers 70°-75° P. during the night 

 and as high as SO^-O.*)" F. during the day. They are 

 principally natives of the Philippine Islands, eastern 

 India, Malaya, Sumatra, Java and Borneo, many of 

 the individual species growing over a wide range of 

 territory. 



With but few exceptions, they grow best in the warm 

 portion of the East Indian house where a temp, of 

 65°-70° F. at night and about 75° F. during the day, or 

 85° with solar heat, can be maintained through the 

 winter months. The summer temp, may range about 

 70° P. at night and 80° or 85° by day. Air should be 

 admitted in greater or less degree at all times to keep 

 the atmosphere active, but direct drafts must always be 

 avoided. Shade is necessary except in December and 

 January, but should never be sulBcieutly heavy to 



PIIAL.ENOPSIS 1291 



exclude indirect solar influence, as plants grown with 

 overabundant shade, heat and moisture make weak 

 tissue and a thin cuticle incapable of withstanding 

 extremes in temperature and humidity to which they 

 are subjected more or less during the winter months. 

 Such careless treatment invariably results in either wet 

 or dry spot, and the plants, having no pseudobulbs, are 

 liable to perish. 



Basket or cylinder culture suits them best, and they 

 should receive all necessary attention, such as rebasket- 

 ing and top-dressing, at the commencement of their 

 growing season in Feb. or Mar., but they do not require 

 much root space at any time. Chopped live coarse 

 sphagnum makes the best compost; this should be lib- 

 erally interspersed with rough pieces of charcoal, to 

 which the roots cling freely. The compost 

 should be worked in firmly about the roots to 

 make the plant steady. During the resting period 

 give water when the compost is becoming dry. 

 /^ Durmg the growing season water freely and give 

 fc^i an occasional overhead syringing. When the 



Vv^s, plants are flowering profusely weak liquid 



)^^ Av. cow or sheep manure may be given once 



^ "' a week with good effect. 



\ There is no special means of propa- 



mVM gation; young plants are often produced 



; \,\ on the flower-scapes, and the old flower- 



'■rjs^ {1 scapes if bent down on the wet sphag- 



\j j^ num can sometimes be induced to send 



' ^' / up young plants. R. M. Grey. 



^ INDEX. 



/ amabilis, 1. 2. Lowii, 6. 



] ' amethystina, 8. Liiddemanniana,!."?. 



ira^ ■ antennifera^ 7. oehraeea, VA. 



'(P^ Aphrodite, 2. Parishii. 14. 



U aurea, 1. Portei, 3. 



casta, 2. Porteri, 3. 



^ Cornu-cei"vi, 10. punetatissima, 4. 



/ / Dayana, 2. rosea, 15. 



/ / Esmeralda, 7. Sanderiana. 2. 



■ gloriosa. 2. Schilleriana, 5. 



'/ grandiflora, 1. speciosa, 11. 



HarriettSB, 1. Stuartiana, 4. 



intermedia, 3. Sumatrana, 12. 



leucorrhoda, 2. violacea, 9. 



A. Petals much broader than the 

 sepals. 

 B. Labellum with apical appen- 

 dages: rostellum sJiort. 

 c. Apical appendages 

 cirrhous, 

 D. Middle lobe very nar- 

 row 1. amabilis 



DD. Middle lobe trowel- 



shaped 2. Aphrodite 



cc. Apical appendages short, 

 horn-lihe, 



D. Irvs. green 3. intermedia 



DD. LvK. motfled, at least 



,rh,„ ,,.,„„.,. 



E. Fis. ii-hii, 4. Stuartiana 



EE. Fix. )■::•<, -jiiirple 5. Schilleriana 



BB. Labellum U'ithottt apical 

 appendages: rostelhim 



long G. Lowii 



AA. Prtnla urnrrfhf nr vnt at all 

 l,r.:,,l, r IIhi.i th, s, I, „}.■>. 

 B. Cl.nv of th, l,tl,rllnm with 

 horu-lil-,' aj'jH Ullages be- 



loic the lateral lobes 7. Esmeralda 



BB. Claw of the labellum without 

 appendages. 

 c. Apex of the labellu7ti 



notched 8. amethystina 



cc. Apex of the labellum en- 

 tire. 

 D. Hach is compressed : 

 bracts fleshy. 

 E. Middle lobe of the 

 labellum fleshy, 



rounded 9. violacea 



EE. Middle lobe of the 

 fabellnm crescent- 

 shaped 10. Comu-cervi 



