540 



BRASSAVOLA 



BRASSIA 



when growing, with a somewhat drier atmosphere when 

 resting, will be found to suit them. Suspend on blocks. 

 B. Digbyana, I. mill,, is Lxlia Digbyana; B. glauca, 

 Lindl., is Lxlia glauca. 



A. Fls. solitary. 



B. Lvs. long and narrow: lip fimbriate-toothed. 

 cucullata, R. Br. (B. cuspidala, Hook.). Lf. terete and 

 subulate, grooved above: scape very short but bear- 

 ing a very long-tubed fl., so that the blossom seems to 

 be elevated on a 

 at. ; sepajs cream- 

 colored, tinged red; 

 petals white; lip 3- 

 lobed, fimbriate, the 

 middle lobe beak- 

 like. S.Amer. B.M. 

 543,3722. G.W. 11, 

 p. 556. Gt. 1, p. 

 324. O.K. 10:265. 



BB. Lvs. short: lip entire. 



acaulis, Lindl. & Paxt. Low: Ivs. very narrow: fls. 

 large, greenish white; lip cordate; tube red-spotted at 

 base. Cent. Amer. 



AA. Fls. in racemes. 

 B. Blade of lip not longer than claw. 

 cordata, Lindl. Fig. 623. Lvs. linear, rigid, recurved: 

 fls. corymbose; sepals and petals lance-linear, acumi- 

 nate, pale green; lip roundish-cordate, cuspidate, entire, 

 scarcely as long as the claw. Jamaica, Brazil. B.M. 

 3782. 



BB. Blade of lip longer than claw. 



c. Claw %-l in. long. 



noddsa, Lindl. (B. grandiflbra, Lindl.). Lvs. lanceo- 

 late, acuminate, channeled above: fls. few and large, 

 corymbose; sepals and petals linear-acuminate; lip 

 round-ovate, long-cuspidate, entire, longer than the 

 claw. Jamaica, Mex., S. B.M. 3229, of this name, is B. 

 subulifolia. 



CC. Claw very short. 



fragrans, Rod. Lvs. up to 16 in. long, terete, deeply 

 furrowed above: raceme of 4-12 large fls.; sepals linear- 

 lanceolate, yellowish white and faintly purple-spotted; 

 petals linear, yellowish white; lip obovate, with a very 

 short claw, a yellowish green spot at the base. Brazil. 

 I.H. 5:180. GEORGE V. Nx-H.f 



BRASSIA (named in honor of William Brass, a botan- 

 ical collector of the last century) . Orchidacex. Epiphytic 

 orchids, thriving in intermediate temperatures. 



Pseudobulbs bearing 1 or 2 terminal Ivs., and lateral 

 or axillary racemes: sepals narrow, acuminate, or some- 

 times tailed, spreading, equal or the lateral longer; 

 petals similar to the dorsal sepal or smaller; lip sessile 

 on the foot of the column, spreading, flat, entire, 

 shorter than the sepals; pollinia 2, waxy. A genus of 

 about 30 species extending from Mex. to Brazil and the 

 W. Indies. 



The brassias are plants of easy culture and add con- 

 siderable interest to collections. They have little value^ 

 as a florists' flower since the colors are not suitable, but a 

 well-grown specimen, such as is often seen in old gar- 



brachiata, 2. 

 caudata, 5. 

 Gireoudeana, 4. 

 guttata, 3. 



623. Brassavola cordata. ( X h) 



dens, makes a most attractive object. The long-tailed 

 sepals and petals are a characteristic of the brassias, 

 and some have an agreeable odor. Pot culture is best, 

 with the usual peat fiber as a rooting medium. In 

 winter-time much less water is necessary than in the 

 growing time, although the plants must never bo dried 

 off completely or the flowering will be interfered with. 

 One often sees plants of B. maculala brought here by 

 visitors to Jamaica, and other species are now intro- 

 duced there from the mainland of South America, and 

 thrive well. These may all be grown in an ordinary 

 greenhouse with other plants, in fact a mixed collec- 

 tion, and give satisfaction. Propagation is effected by 

 division only. Green-fly is otten troublesome on the 

 young flower-spikes and must be kept down by fumiga- 

 tion, or sponge dipped in soapy water. (Orpet.) 



INDEX. 



Lanceana, 7. 

 Lawrenceana, 6, 8. 

 longissima, (5. 



macutata 3. 

 verrurosa, 1. 

 Wrayx. 3. 



A. Lip with flal green warts. 

 B. Sepals 3-4 in. long: lip while. 



1. verrucdsa, Batem. Fig. 624. Pseudobulbs ovoid, 

 much compressed, up to 4 in. long: Ivs. up to 1 ft. long: 

 racemes 8-15-fld.; sepals and petals light yellowish 



green, spotted at base, the sepals 3-4 in. long, 

 the petals about half as long; lip white, with 

 numerous dark green warts, with a broad 

 dilated claw, the upper part nearly orbicular, 

 abruptly acuminate. Guatemala. 



BB. Sepals 6 in. long: lip light yellow. 



2. brachiata, Lindl. Pseudobulbs 3-5 in. long, 

 oblong, compressed: Ivs. up to 1 ft. long: racemes 6-12- 

 fld.; sepals and petals light yellowish green, with a few 

 purple basal spots, the petals about two-thirds as long 



624. Brassia verrucosa. 



