PHAL^NOPSIS 



to be fonnd in the orchid family. The plants are natives 

 of the hot regions of India and the Malay Archipelago, 

 growing on trunks of trees and sides of rocks under 

 conditions of high temperature and great moisture. 

 The flowers are remarkably beautiful in form and color. 

 Those of the larger species are borne in graceful 



1735 Phala;nop! 

 drooping panicles, on which they usually all face in one 



The plants are of monopodia! growth, having short 

 stems which increase slowly in length : Ivs. few, thick, 

 leathery, often mottled : inflorescence a raceme or 

 panicle, large, or not longer than the Ivs. : sepals spread- 

 ing, the lateral ones more or less united with the base 

 of the column : petals about as large as the sepals or 

 very much broader; labellum variously shaped but 

 united with the base of the column. About 40 species. 

 Heinrich Hasselbrixg. 



The species of Phalsenopsis are all truly epiphytal, 

 and are found growing in their native hal)itats on rocks 

 and trees at very low altitudes or at sea-level in moist 

 but often exposed situations where the rains during 

 their growing season are frequent and excessive, and 

 the temperature registers 70°-75° F. during the night 

 and as high as 90°-95° F. during the day. They are 

 principally natives of the Philippine Islands, eastern 

 India, Malaya, Sumatra, Java and Borneo, many of 

 the individual species growing over a wide range of 

 territory. 



With but few exceptions, they grow best in the warm 

 portion of the East Indian house where a temp, of 

 65°-70'' F. at night and about 75° F. during the day, or 

 85° with solar heat, can be maintained through the 

 winter months. The summer temp, may range about 

 70° F. at night and 80° or 85° by day. Air should be 

 admitted in greater or less degree at all times to keep 

 the atmosphere active, but direct drafts must always be 

 avoided. Shade is necessary except in December and 

 January, but should never be sufiBciently heavy to 



PHAL.ENOPSIS 1291 



exclude indirect solar influence, as plants grown with 

 overabundant shade, heat and moisture make weak 

 tissue and a thin cuticle incapable of withstanding 

 extremes in temperature and humidity to which they 

 are subjected more or less during the winter months. 

 Such careless treatment invariably results in either wet 

 or dry spot, and the plants, having no pseudobulbs, are 

 liable to perish. 



Basket or cylinder culture suits them best, and they 

 should receive all necessary attention, such as rebaskct- 

 ing and top-dressing, at the commencement of their 

 growing season in Feb. or Mar., but they do not require 

 much root space at any time. Chopped live coarse 

 sphagnum makes the best compost; this should be lib- 

 erally inti-rspiisid with rough pieces of charcoal, to 

 wliich the roots cling freely. The compost 

 should be worked in firmly about the roots to 

 make the plant steady. During the resting period 

 give water when the compost is becoming dry. 

 During the growing season water freely and give 

 1 an occasional overhead syringing. When the 



plants are flowering profusely weak liquid 

 cow or sheep manure may be given once 

 . ,, a week with good effect. 



j^jj\\ There is no special means of propa- 



~W\\\ e^tion; young plants are often produced 

 Wi" on the flower-scapes, and the old flower- 

 scapes if bent down on the wet sphag- 

 num can sometimes be induced to send 

 up young plants. r. m. Gket. 



INDEX. 



amabilis, 1, 2. Lowii, 6. 



amethystina, 8. Liiddemanniana.l:!. 



antennifera, 7. ochracea, 13. 



Aphrodite, 2. Parishii, 14. 



7 aurea, 1. Portei, 3. 



/ casta, 2. Porteri. 3. 



Cornu-cervi. 10. punctatissima, 4. 



Dayana, 2. rosea, 15. 



-^ Esmeralda, 7. Sanderiana, 2. 



gloriosa, 2. Schilleriana, 5. 



granditlora, 1. speciosa. 11. 



Harriettaa, 1. Stuartiana, 4. 



intermedia. 3. Sumatrana. 12. 



leucorrhoda, 2. violacea. 9. 



. Petals much broader than the 



sepals. 

 B. Labellum with apical appen- 

 dages; rostellum short. 

 c. Apical appendages 

 cirrJwus. 

 D. Middle lobe very nar- 



rnw 1. amabilis 



DD. Middle lobe trowel- 

 shaped 2. Aphrodite 



cc. Apival appendages shorty 

 horn-like. 



D. lyvs. green 3. intermedia 



DD. Zrt's. mottled, at least 

 when young. 



E. Fls. white 4. Stuartiana 



EE. Fls. rose-purple 5. Schilleriana 



BB. Labellum without apical 

 appendages: rostellum 

 loiir/ 0. Lowii 



. Petals 's,;,r,;l,i ,„■ ,„.t al all 



■d.r 11,, . 



B. Claii' 



ill, 



• the l,d,-ral I, 

 ■of the labellu 



tire. 

 D. Bach is compressed ; 

 brads fleshy. 

 E. Middle lobe of the 

 labellum fleshy, 



EE. Middle lobe of the 



.10. Cornu-cervi 



