52 ORCHID HYBRIDS. 



Well known and accessible to many is the illustration 

 of Aeranthus Leonis (Gard. Chron., July 18, '85). 

 When I opened it first I said to myself: what similarity 

 with the fatal Angrsecum eburneum, which with its up- 

 right lip mesmerized my fingers when visiting the Berlin 

 Botanic Gardens. But when I saw Leonis in flower, I 

 knew then that business persuasion must have tricked 

 a publisher into illustrating from alcohol specimens, and 

 that by an artist who did not know it all. See also the 

 topsy-turvy illustration of Oncidium insculptum, G. Ch., 

 March 9, '95. 



Very interesting and illustrative for our point is the 

 flowering of Laelia aiiceps. A very tenacious secretion 

 prevents a free separation of the ovary and buds from 

 the bracts, and we perceive at once that this was the 

 cause of the very irregular position of the flowers of 

 that species. But I never once found one which after 

 strenuous exertion had not succeeded in perfecting suffi- 

 cient turn to occupy a favorable position for a landing 

 insect. 



Let us suffice with these instances to prove that in 

 orchids we deal with an exceptional family, with much 

 altered conditions conducive to the cross-fertilizing in- 

 sects' agencies. Through it is easily understood, though 

 not explained in its causes, the wonderful centralizing 

 effect of the coloring, all calculated to attract and lead 

 to just such direction and no other. All these circum- 

 stances, as constant >&s tfeey are inferring, they prove 

 to me the character of these flowers, the presence of a 

 face. 



I imagine I hear the objection: " Well, that is not 

 so wonderful after all; do not dozens of flowers known 

 to everybody show a face?" I admit, dear friend, there 

 are plenty of them; let us see. A rose, like any Rosae- 



