SELENIPEDIUM 



wrote Selenipedium). OicIikWIchf The genus Seleni 

 (leiiiuiu comprises the South \merican Cj pripediums 

 Technicallj- it is separated from the genus Cypripe 

 dium on account of the three loculed ovaij Aside from 

 this character the fioweis resemble those of C\ pnpe 

 dium, but the inttoresLence is f|uit( distinct The 

 scapes of Cypripedium beir i sin^h tl w inn h _ or 

 morel, while those of bilenipt hum 1 < a \ i il il «. is 

 and often become paniculateh bi ui h 1 In ^ n, i il 

 habit the Selenipediums aie more n bust uid hixuiuut 

 The Ivs. are crowded in dense tufts on short < reeping 

 rhizomes. As in many orchid generv the species of 

 Selenipedium are remarkable for the number of color 

 variations of their flowers Tlitu in in iii\ \ arieties 

 that form connecting links bi i i n i ihus mak 



ing the genus a very diffimli i i i torv de 



scription. It is hoped thit tli unt, how 



ever, will serve to distinguish in i m i | s 



This genus, like the tiue C \ nil laiiuns Ins been a 

 favorite one with hybridizers borne ot the best known 

 species, as S. Se<Ieni and others are the products of 

 crosses. The total number of hybrids fur exceeds the 

 number of original species \ part of the genera Cy 

 pripediura and Selenipedium his been sepirated by 

 some botanists as a distini t genus Pi] biupedilum, 

 which is now sometimes found in hortu ultiii il writings 



For culture, see Cijpiipetluim 



Heixeich E 



SELENIPEDIUM 



1651 



All Selenipediums enjoy plenty of heat and moisture 

 in the growing season, March to November (65-90°). 

 Give good drainage. Use chopped sphagnum with 

 broken clinkers from the furnace, and tli.- adclition i.f a 

 little leaf-mold, raising the material :ts iii-h :iIm,\, ilip 

 rim of the pot as possible. This man i in I i~ i -p. .i illy 

 to be recommended for the young and ili\ i^li il iihmis. 

 Give slight shade, and grow on raised Ihiu'Ir-s near the 

 glass. Water sparingly until growth bei;iiis. The four 

 species, S. Doininianiim, S. Sedeiii, S. ScliHiiiii and 

 S. Saiyeiititnuim, should not be overpotted. Fill pots 

 three-fourths full of drainage, then place a thin layer 

 of coarse fern root, which will fill pot to level of the 

 rim. Place the plant on top and then fill 2% to 3 in. on 

 top with chopped sphagnum and leaf -mold mixed with 

 coarse sand or pulverized coal clinkers. Keep the moss 

 in a growing condition. -^^jj. Mathews. 



1 Schlimii, Linden (Cypiipedium Schlimii. Linden). 

 Fig 230b Lvs 4-b ligulate, leathery, sharp-pointed, 

 9-12 m high scape longer than the lvs., hir.sute, often 

 branched 2-8 fld sepals less than 1 in. Jong, ovate- 

 obtuse the lower a little larger than the upper and con- 



petals like the sepals; labellum an elliptic bag with a 

 contracted opening, white with a large crimson blotch 

 in front: staminodium yellow. Late summer. Colombia. 

 B.M. 5614. P.S. 18:1917.-Var. albindrum, Linden. 

 Fls. white, except the vellow staminodium and a suffused 

 blotch on the l.abelluni, I.H. 21:183. Vars. gigantdum 

 and superbum are also advertised. 



2. Sedeni, Hort. Fig. 2307. Lvs. numerous, crowded, 

 12-lS in. long, tapering to a point: .scapes 12-18 In. 

 Iii:.'h. about 4-fld. but often sending out secondary flow- 

 .ring branches from the axils of the bracts after the 

 lirst lis. have fallen: fls. 31^-4 in. across the petals; 

 lower sepal oval, greenish white, upper sepal oblong, 

 acute, with faint imridisli green veins; petals lanceo- 

 late, twist.-.l, purple shM.ling to greenish white at the 

 base; labellum rich erinis,,n ],iirnle shading to paler 

 purple behind, s]iMttecl m-: ;, i.jirh n livhrid between 

 .v. lonqifoliuM aiel ,s'. s v . . luxuriant free- 



J, R,H, 1879:470. 

 v. h)te; petals white 

 tinged with rose; labellum darker rose, A hybrid be- 

 tween S. Intiijifolium and S. Schlimii, var. al'biflorum. 

 The following names are also in the trade: grandifld- 

 rum, sangTiineum, superbum. 



3. WeidlichiElntim, Hort. A garden hybrid between 



4. porphyreum, Reichb. f. [Cypripedium porphyreum, 

 Reichb. f.). Lvs. broadlv strap-shaped, acute, about 

 1 ft, long: fls. mostly purple, resembling those of S. 

 Sedeni, but without protuberances on the open sides of 

 the lip. The sepals and petals are oblong and more 

 acuminate. Garden hybrid between S. Rcezlii and S. 

 Schlimii. 



