952 



LYCASTE 



are very distinct from eadi other and do not fall readily 

 into natural groups. Tiiis was probably the cause of 

 Reicheubach's complaint that "it is nearly as satisfac- 

 tory to study this group as it Is to brush hedgehogs." 

 Tlie arrangement in the itey is purely artificial, and does 

 not indicate close relationship among the species grouped 

 together. Heinrich Hasselbrino. 



The genus Lycaste is closely allied to Maxillaria and 

 has a similar geographical range, being found from 

 Mexico and the West Indies to Peru and southeastern 

 Brazil. Notwithstanding this wide distribution, how- 

 ever, they readily subject themselves to one general 

 mode of treatment, and may be grown in a bright, cool 

 portion of the Cattleya or warm end of the Odontoglos- 

 sum department, where they should receive plenty of 

 indirect solar light, moisture and sufBcient ventilation 

 to ensure an active atmosphere. 



During winter, the night temperature should range 

 from 50° to ,55° Fuhr., and that of the day ()0° to 1)5°, or a 

 few degrees higher, with sun heat and ventilation. In 

 summer, the air should be as cool as possible, and con- 

 tain plenty of moisture. 



When Lycastes are growing they need a good supply 

 of water at the roots, and should never be allowed to 

 remain dry for a long time, even when at rest. Light 

 syringing overhead is beneficial at all times in bright 

 weather when air can be admitted. The deciduous spe- 

 cies, however, must be carefully watered when at rest, 

 for it must be remembered that in casting their foliage 

 they lose most of their active radiating surface,'thus 

 reducing evaporation to a minimum. 



For special treatment, they may be divided into three 

 groups, L. arotnatica.L. costata and i. ffarrisouie form- 

 ing good types. The L. aromutiea section embraces 

 besides the type L. Candida^ L. crnenta, L. Deppii, L. 

 laxioiiloxxKin, L. macrobiillion and kindred sorts, all 

 more or less deciduous. These grow best in pots in a 

 mixture of equal parts chopped peat liber and sphagnum 

 moss, with a small auantity of leaf-mold added. About 

 one-tliird of the pot space should be devoted to drainage 

 of broken charcoal or potsherds, and the compost must 

 be carefully and nither firmly pressed in about the roots, 

 leaving the base of the pseudobulbs on a level with or a 

 little below the rim of the pot. The best time for trans- 

 planting is just after the plants start into new growth, 

 at which time give a more abundant supply of water. 



The L. cnstnta gr^up includes, besides the type, snch 

 species as L. hiiiipi'x, L. Inrnsta and L. Skiuneri, which, 

 excepting the last, are but serai-deciiluous, large-grow- 

 ing species. They succeed liest under pot culture, and 

 should be grown in a compost of about equal parts 

 chopped sod. from which some of tlie tine soil has been 

 removed, and decomposed leaves, addinga liltle chopped 

 live sphagnum to keep the soil porous and to retain mois- 

 ture. The compost should become nearly dry occasion- 

 ally to prevent it from becoming sour. 



The i. Hnrrinnnie section is small; the type and L. 

 tetriKjnna are good examples; all are sempervirent and 

 grow best under basket culture in porous material con- 

 sisting of chopped peat-fiber and live sphagnum, well 

 mixed and interspersed with nodules of charcoal. The 

 compost should be pressed in moderately firm about the 

 roots to keep the plant steady, and newly imported 

 pieces shouhl be held in place by copper or brass wire 

 crossed between the pseudobulbs. 



Lycaste stock is usually supplied by new importa- 

 tions, but plants may lie increased by cutting thi-ough 



) rhizome between the pseudobulbs, two at least being 



left to each piece. 



Robert M. Grey. 



LYCASTE 



A. Scape nritjhiati, HI iti th.- nrU nf a leaf 

 ah,H-,il,, „. N- l,,,i,i,,j-i.<: hihrlliim 



U'llll li.ihsi: rx, fiini'irs. {Colaj-.}. I. jugOSa 

 AA. Sciipr ornjnialniij ni the luil of a 

 leaf belvir the young leafy axis: 

 labellirm usually with longitudi- 

 nal crests or callosities. 

 B. Polliifia seated on a common 

 stipe. 

 c. Scape erect or stiberect, nor- 

 ma th( i-fhl. i Li/raste.) 



D. Miihllr Inl f th, /'ihrlhin, 



sr„n-, ,1,1. ,,:,!. ,,,,, i,,l , ,1 , ,t,- ., 



I'll,, 



„l,l„„,i.l„ 



2. lasioglossa 



late, siiixiidiiiii ;t. gigantea 



4. SchiUeriana 



5. lanipes 



6. locusta 



7. Candida 



8. costata 



9. macrobulbon 

 FF. Sepals oblong-ovate, 



spreading or half- 

 spreading 10. Skinneri 



11. plana 



12. tetragona 

 Ki. cruenta 



DD. Middle lobe of the labellum 



spatitlate 14. aromatiea 



DDD. Middle lobe ovate-acunti- 



nate 15. Deppii 



cc. Scape pendulous, normally 

 several-fid. See Paphinia. 

 BE. Pol I in ia seated on 2 distinrt 



stipes. (Bifrenariu.) li;. HarrisonisB 



17. inodora 



1. jugdsa, Nichols. (Colar jngdsiis, Lindl.). Pseudo- 

 bulbs i-li in. long, with lanceolate-acuminate Ivs. ti-9 in. 

 in length, springing both from the apex and base: scape 

 clothed with large bracts, and bearing 2-3 fls., which 

 ai-e subglobose when fully expanded: sepals broadly 

 oblong, obtuse, cream-colored to waxy white ; petals 

 ovate-oblong, obtuse, marked with black-purple, trans- 

 verse bands; labellum smaller, velvety and covered 

 with fleshy ridges; side lobes longitudinally streaked, 

 and middle lobe streaked and splashed with dark pur- 

 ple. Jan.-May. Brazil. B. M. 5G61. Gn. IG, p. 77 and 

 49, p. 294. — Fls. persistent for many weeks. 



2. lasioglbssa, Reichb. f. Pseudobulbs 3 in. long, 

 ovoid, compressed: Ivs. 8-12 in. long, elliptic-lanceo- 

 late: scape 1-fid.: fls. 5 in. across; sepals spreading, 

 narrowly oblong, dull brown or greenish brown; petals 

 one-third as long, erect, concave, obtuse, golden yellow; 

 labellum as long as the petals, ilso golden yellow: lat- 

 eral lobes short, obtuse; middle lobe oblong, covered 

 with long, soft hairs; callus ovate, notched. Autumn 

 and winter. Guatemala. B.M. 6251. — Very odd but not 

 showy. 



3. gigantea, Lindl. Pseudobulbs often 6 in. high, 

 bearing 2-3 ol)long-lanceolate Ivs. lJ^-2 ft. long: scape 

 ]-fld., somewhat shorter than the Ivs.: sepals ovate to 

 lanceolate. 3 in. long, rather olive-green; petals some- 

 what smaller, lanceolate, spreading, of the same color ; 

 labellum oblong-lanceolate: side lobes acute; middle 

 lobe ovate, acuminate, serrate, rich maroon bordered 

 with a narrow orange margin; crest fleshy, emarginate. 

 The fl. -stems are said to attain a height of 2 ft., with a 

 single large flower. In most of the specimens in cult, 

 the lip is abruptly rounded off. June-Aug. ; Nov., Dec. 

 Widely dispersed in Cent. Araer. B.M. 5616. B.R.31:34. 



4. SchiUeriana, Reichb. f. Plant resembling L. Skin- 

 ■neri in hAhit: pseudobulbs 2-lvd.: Ivs. elongate-lanceo- 

 late, up to 2 ft. long: scape l-fld., suberect, 8 in. long : 

 sepals large, spreading, oblong-lanceolate, 4 in. long, 

 brown: petals erect, with recurved tips, small, l^-o in. 

 long, white, speckled with brown on the back; labellum 

 as long as the petals, white, speckled and tinged with 

 rose: side lobes small; middle lobe ovate-quadrate, 



