146 BEPOKT ON THE 



leaves and pink and white flowers, was brought by several 

 exhibitors. 



Schomburgkia is a fine genus which was not at all represented 

 It seems strange that such showy plants as some of the species 

 are should be so unpopular. Sophronitis was out of flower, but 

 a plant in fruit was shown by Mr. Veitch in the collection of 

 fruiting Orchids. It will be referred to further on. 



VANDE^E. 



The few Cymbidiums that are in cultivation were in many 

 cases out of flower, but several species were shown, of which 

 C. Lowii was most conspicuous, several splendid plants being 

 exhibited. C. Devonianum (Lindley) was shown by Mr. Lee, 

 and cut spikes of 0. ebwneum (Lindley ) and C. sinense (Willd.) 

 were sent by Dr. Paterson. 



The last-named exhibitor sent also sprays of Ansellia Africana 

 (Kchb. f.j, one of the few African Orchids shown. A species of 

 Grammatophyllum, which appears to be undescribed, was exhibited 

 by the Plant and Bulb Company. It bore a loose raceme of 

 rather large green flowers with brown spots, somewhat like those 

 of G. midtiflorwtn. 



The Polystachyas are not as a rule remarkable for showiness, 

 and have been but rarely introduced into cultivation. One 

 species, undoubtedly the finest of the genus, viz., P. jmbescens, a 

 native of Africa, was sent from Kew Gardens, where it has 

 flowered for several years. The flowers are larger than in most 

 species, of a bright yellow, and marked with brown streaks 

 The genus is an interesting one in many ways. In the first 

 place, it is one of the few epiphytic genera which extend to both 

 hemispheres ; and, indeed, some of the South American species 

 are closely allied to Madagascar and Indian ones. The structure 

 of the flowers, too, is very curious. In the bud the lip is covered 

 with short hairs, which, when the flower is open, break off and 

 form a loose, powdery mass on the lip. That these bear some 

 relation to fertilization by insect agency seems highly probable, 

 but in what way is less easy to discover, as the flowers are 

 reversed, or, to be more correct, are right way up, which is 

 rarely the case in Orchids, so that the face of the lip looks 

 towards the ground, the result of which is, that when the 

 flower opens, most of the powdery mass of hair must fall to the 

 ground. 



