LYCASTE SKINNERI Zina 
Bractea spathacea acuta ovarium vulgo bene excedente, sepalis oblongoligulatis acutis, tepalis bene latioribus, labello oblongoligulato trifido, laciniis 
lateralibus obtusangulis antrorsis, lacinia antica seu ab ungue brevissimo obtusangulo triangula seu sessili triangula elongata, callo semiligulato antice libero 
intra apices laciniarum lateralium, fundo labelli pilosulo, columna trigona antice puberula. 
LARIA SKINNERI Bat. in Lindl. Bot. Reg., 1840, Misc, 101 (p. 48)!; Bat. Orch. Mex. Guat., tab, 35 ! 
MAXILLARIA VIRGINALIS, Hort. ex. Williams Orch. Manual, ed. 6, 381! 
LycasTE SKINNERI Lindl. Bot. Reg. xxix., Misc. p. Mag. xi.,1!; Van Houtte Flore des Serres iv. 303, 304!; Linden, Liiddemann, 
Planchon, Reichenbach Pescatorea, tab. 39!; Floral Mag., 192! Sel. Orch. L, t. 10! etc. 
Pseudobulbi compresso ovoidei, demum hine paucicostati, bi—triphylli. Folia cuneato oblongo ligulata, acuta, plicata. Pedunculi ex vaginis 
fultientibus, nunc valde numerosi, rarissime biflori. Bractez longitudinis varize, nunc ovaria pedicellata non equantes, sed rariss Flores albi roseo aspersi, 
nunc intense purpureo tincti. Pulchri, qui candidissimi tepalis labelloque purpureis. Callus albidus seu flavus, Labelli lacinie laterales nunc intus flave. 
Columna alba, nunc antice purpurco striata, area basilari antice purpurea emarginata seu flaveola superne purpureo marginata. Non locus est enumerandi 
copiam varietatum. Facillime nominantur, egerrime in varietatum serie continua iterum recognoscentur, 
VAR. ALBA, Hort.: flore candido. Raro vere candidissimus. Nervi sepalorum mediani extus vulgo virides. Vestigia coloris purpurei ac flavi 
sapissime reperiuntur, 
Crescit in Mexico maxime australi ac in Guatemala. Mexico, J. Linden, 1839! Guatemala: Skinneri collectores indici ! alii, 
Icones analytic. Labellum superne explanatum. Idem a latere, transsectum. Columna antice sine anthera. Apex column cum anthera + 
Pollinarium postice -+ 
THERE are some curious incidents in the history of this plant as to the name. As early as 1840 (see Lindl. Bot. Reg., 
1840, 48 !) there appeared a Maxillaria Skinneri, Bateman MSS. : “ nearly allied to Maxillaria Harrisoniz.” “It has a 
gentle odour, but the lip is magnificent purply white, with centre tigered in deep rose colour.” Then came Lycaste 
cruenta Lindl.,—Mazxillaria cruenta Lindl., Bot. Reg., 1842, tab. 13. The letterpress had been printed before with the 
name of Maxillaria Skinneri Lindl. Dr. Lindley had evidently kindly retracted his name to please Messrs. Skinner and 
Bateman. Evidence of this is given by some of these prior texts having been kept, as in the library of Leipsic 
University. Dr. Lindley, probably by a lapse of memory, believed this “cruenta” to be the same as Maxillaria Skinneri 
Bat., 1840 (see Lindl. Bot. Reg., 1842, Miscell. 11). I cannot believe in this. Lycaste cruenta has never a purple white 
lip with centre tigered deep rose colour. This might answer for Lycaste Skinneri, or plana. Finally came our actual 
plant, named Maxillaria Skinneri Bat., “ facile princeps of all known Maxillarias,” as Mr. Bateman said, and only lately 
rivalled by Maxillaria Sanderiana, which can never be imported in quantities, as can Lycaste Skinneri. I believe it to be 
a gross mistake to say Mr. Skinner found it first. Some herbaria—my own among them—contain Mexican specimens 
gathered by Mons. J. Linden as early as 1839. There is no doubt, from our actual knowledge, that it was this scientific 
collector who discovered the plant. H. G. Rehb. f 
Among the numerous tropical plants with which our gardens were enriched 40 years ago by the celebrated traveller 
the late G. Ure-Skinner there is none that has become so popular as the glorious Lycaste which bears his name. So 
popular has it become that it is cultivated not only by those who make a specialty of Orchids but also in all good gardens 
where hot house plants are grown. As a decorative plant it has become so well known that it is not inaptly called the 
so commonly used for adorning rooms because, on account of the thick wax-like texture 
“ drawing-room Orchid,” and it is 
of its noble flowers they are capable of withstanding the dry atmosphere of a room better than most other Orchids and 
