L.ELIA. 347 



They are small-flowered Tropical American plants, of little 

 interest to growers of the choicer kinds of Orchids. 



Culture. — The same as that recommende;! for Ar/anisia. 



K. ionoptera, Linden et Fichh. f. — A rather nice plant, 

 with leafy stems, cuneate oblong leaves, and a basal peduncle 

 more than a foot long, bearing at top a raceme of flowers ; 

 these flowers, not very much larger than those of the Lily 

 of the Vallej', are white, with violet tips and streaks on the 

 sepals, violet petals and numerous transverse violet-purple 

 bars on the lip. — Peru. 



Ljilia, Lin die I/. 



{Tribe Epidendreje, suhiribe LEelieffi.) 



This is a very lovely genus of epiphytal Orchids, most 

 of the species being compact in their growth, with evergreen 

 leathery or fleshy leaves, resembling in some respects those 

 of the genus Catdeija, to which many of them are equal in 

 the beauty of their flowers, which are large, distinct in 

 colour, and very handsome, produced on spikes of varied 

 length from the top of their one or two-leaved pseudobulbs. 

 They are nearly allied to Cattleya, and, in fact, cross readily 

 with the species of that genus. The genus is, however, 

 retained by Bentham and Hooker, who distinguish it by the 

 presence of eight pollinia in two series, the series being slightly^ 

 unequal, while in Cattleija there are only four pollen masses 

 forming a single series. Reichenbach includes the whole 

 group in Bletia along with the Cattleyas. These plants 

 merit a place in every collection, and will amply repay the 

 cultivator for any care they may require ; indeed, Lalia com- 

 prises species which are among our finest Orchids whether 

 for winter or summer blooming. 



Culture. — Some of the species are best grown on blocks of 



