150 oechid-growee's manual. 



B. venosa, Lindley. — A pretty free-flowering small and 

 compact species. It has fleshy lanceolate semicylindrical 

 leaves and three-flowered scapes of white flowers having 

 greenish sepals ; these are produced at difierent times of the 

 year. It grows best on a block suspended from the roof of 

 the house. — Central America. 



YiKi.—Bot. Mag., t. 4021 ; Bot. Reg., 1840, t. 39. 



Syn. — Bktia venosa. 



BeassIA, Robert Brown. 

 {Tribe Vandese, subtribe Oncidiese.) 



This genus is nearly allied to Oncidium, difiering in the 

 narrow very much elongated sepals and petals ; in the shorter 

 undivided lip, which is sessile at the base of the column, plane, 

 bilamellate at the base ; and in the short wingless column. 

 The flowers are in loose simple racemes. In some of the 

 species they are dull-coloured, so that the genus is not in 

 great repute with Orchid-growers ; but, nevertheless, there 

 are a few kinds that are showy, free-flowering, and last a 

 long time in bloom, and which ought to be in every collection. 

 All have dark green pseudobulbs, and evergreen foliage a foot 

 or more in length. The species inhabit Tropical America, 

 Brazil, the West Indies, New Grenada, and Mexico, and are 

 about a score in number. 



Culture. — The Brassias are evergreen plants of easy cul- 

 ture, and will do either in the East Indian or Cattleya house. 

 The flowers are produced from the side of the pseudobulbs 

 on long drooping spikes. They are best grown in pots, with 

 rough fibrous peat and good drainage, for they require a 

 liberal supply of water at the roots in the growing season, 

 though later on just enough water to keep their bulbs plump 

 will suffice. They should never be allowed to shrivel. They 

 are propagated by dividing the plants when they begin to grow. 



B. antlierotes, Bchh.f. — A very ornamental species, growing 

 about eighteen inches high, with oblong monophyllous pseudo- 

 bulbs, and radical scapes bearing racemes of numerous large 



