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PHAJUS HUMBLOTIL reno. ¢ 
Pseudobulbis pyriformibus seu fusiformibus parvis, foliis petiolato oblongis acutis mollibus magnis, pedunculo apice plurifloro, floribus speciosis 
explanatis, sepalis oblongis acutis, tepalis latioribus, labelli magni ecalcarati explanati trifidi laciniis lateralibus rotundatis arrectis, lacinia mediana transversa 
emarginata lobulato crispula, callo carnoso bilamellato in disco antice in carinulam excurrente, columna clavata arcuata gracili, callo pilosulo in basi. 
Puajus Humsori, Rchb. f, Gard. Chron., 1880, Dec. 25, p. 812! 1886, Aug. 7, p. 173, xyl. 33! 
PuAjus HumBo.prit, Hort. quorund pessime ! 
Planta elegans omnino mollis difficillime colenda Thripsibus pabulum dilectissimum offerns, Pedunculus usque septemflorus, Flores expansi 
lilacini. Tepala extus longitudinaliter media linea vittis albidis geminis, Labelli lacinia posticae brunneopurpuree, lacinia antica lilacina, extus linea mediana 
alba, laciniis lateralibus brunnco reticulatis, lacinia mediana lilacina, Columna alba dorso superiori viridis. Callus in basi flavus. 
Crescit in insula Madagascar. Detecta ab exc. Léon Humblot, cui amice dicata. B, Hildebrandt etiam legit. Florem primum in Europa excultum 
misit exc, Peeters Bruxellensis, specimen pulcherrimum ill. Trevor Lawrence. H. G. Rehb. f. 
Figure analytic. Flos postice. Labellum a latere. Hee ut picture dorsales intelligantur. Columna a latere. Anthera. Pollinaria, 
AxouT six years ago Monsieur Léon Humblot, a young Frenchman, undertook a perilous journey to the interior of 
Madagascar in search of plants, in company with his brother and some half a dozen others, who were travelling under the 
auspices of the French Government, for the purpose of surveying, also for collecting natural history specimens. Among 
Humblot’s discoveries were two beautiful Orchids, both species of Phajus, which had not before been heard of in gardens. 
He succeeded in collecting living plants of these, and sent small consignments of each to us, which were sold in London 
at Stevens’ auction rooms. One of them, the subject of our present plate, was named by Professor Reichenbach in honour 
of its discoverer, while the other was named long before P. tuberculosus, by Blume. The introduction of these plants 
excited a deal of interest among Orchidists, and their flowering was keenly anticipated. Both have flowered several times 
in perfection in this country, and they not only justify Humblot’s description, but have proved to be, particularly 
P. tuberculosus, among the most beautiful Orchids ever introduced. Not since the Rev. W. Ellis discovered the noble 
Aéranthus sesquipedalis has such an important discovery been made in the way of plants in that little-known 
island of Madagascar, whose flora may yet add greatly to the wealth of tropical Orchids we already possess in European 
gardens. 
As to the culture of Phajus Humblotii little can be said, as so few have had long experience with its treatment. 
The plants best grown have been treated similarly to Malayan Phalznopsids or to other Madagascar Orchids, such as 
Aéranthus sesquipedalis. The collector says that it grows naturally at the base of large trees, and therefore in dense shade, 
and the plants, moreover, are moist all the year round. From these facts the cultivator may glean that the plant requires 
a hot and moist house, shaded from direct sunlight, but not heavilv shaded, inasmuch as the strongest diffused light we 
can give it here only equals that in dense shade under a tropical sun. The finest plants we have seen of Phajus 
tuberculosus were growing in an ordinary plant stove, in baskets suspended close under the roof of the house, and slightly 
shaded. Both species are decidedly epiphytic, therefore must have a light and porous compost to root in. As neither 
of these species form large pseudo-bulbs they do not require a stated resting period 
Drawn by permission of Sir Trevor Lawrence from a plant in the Burford Lodge collection. 
