CYPRIPEDIUM 10 ress 
This is a fine hybrid raised by Mr. Norman C. Cookson, Wylam-on-Tyne. Cypripedium Lawrenceanum was the pollen parent, and C. Argus the seed 
parent. The leaf is that of C. Lawrenceanum. The peduncle is tall and resembles that of C. Argus, as also do the flowers, the petals of which are slightly 
reflexed, as in C. Argus, not rectangular with the longitudinal diameter, as in C. Lawrenceanum. The dorsal sepal is rather broad and reminds one of 
C, Lawrenceanum, but the numerous median nerves are green and only the external ones purple. The lateral sepals form a small green-nerved connate body, 
and are much shorter than the lip. Petals much like those of C. Argus, brown at the tips; the lip also resembles that of Argus, and the staminode that of 
C. Lawrenceanum, much forcipate, 
Cypripepium x Io, Rchb, f, in Gardeners’ Chronicle, April 17, 1886, page 488. (The sign x accidentally omitted, or less necessary. 
“nov. hybr, angl.” 
since 
is added.) HT, G. Rehb. f. 
Icones analytice. Flos oblique visus. Staminodium. 
Turis pretty mule Orchid was called Io in allusion to its close affinity with Cypripedium Argus. Argus was ordered by 
Juno to watch Io, the daughter of King Inachus, so long as she had to endure the penance of being changed into 
a cow. Mercury killed Argus at the command of Jupiter, and the hundred eyes of Argus were placed on the original 
peacock by Jupiter. 
It has recently been asked in various cases how far it might be advisable to give diagnoses of mules. Prof. Dr. 
Garcke, of Berlin, whose valuable “Flora von Deutschland” reached the almost incredible success of fifteen editions, 
finally gave up the system, trusting that he who knows the parents would recognise the child. This excellent author stated 
in the preface that the diagnoses of such polymorphous plants as mules of Cirsium, Carduus, Hieracium, might be 
variable and incomplete, and ought to be so. (“ Da die Diagnosen dieser vielgestaltigen Gebilde ohnehin schwankend und 
unvollstandig sind und sein miissen.”’) 
If we were able to watch a whole stock of plants that are products of cross-fertilisation we should doubtless see no 
end of variation in the flowers. Mr. Drewitt O. Drewitt, of Riding Mill-on-Tyne, told me the other day at Kew, there 
were scarcely two flowers alike in any cross of Cypripedia. A stock of mules can certainly show a far greater diversity 
than a stock of seedlings of a species. Those who know the parents will find little difficulty in distinguishing them. I 
have almost arrived at the same opinion as my excellent friend, Prof. Garcke, for I long since gave up the system of pub- 
lishing Latin diagnoses of new mule Orchids in the Gardeners’ Chronicle. 1 thought all I could do was to give 
what we call in Latin “adumbrationes,” shadows, silhouettes, vague descriptions, with comparisons, hoping that the 
individuals to come might be appropriately placed under the sphere given. And, remember, one usually gets one or two 
flowers of a novelty! We must, therefore, ask our readers not to be surprised if they see individual plants differing from 
our plates. It is impossible to alter this as Nature’s laws are unalterable. For instance, I had questions as to Lzelia 
euspatha, there being plants not answering to the representation and yet named by me euspatha. In one case I had 
distinguished the plant as “euspatha Scottiana,” the difference being very remarkable and appearing several times. The 
fact is, it is not easy to name an individual that shows slight aberrations; it is placed in the position to which it 
nearest belongs. The amateur has not the least idea of the great number of connecting links observed by the author. 
I was in a similar position twenty or thirty years ago. I experienced great pleasure when Lelia Stelzneriana, 
Casperiana, Schilleriana, and all those things appeared ; how simple it was to distinguish them when we had so few 
specimens in Europe. Sed—, post eguitem sedet atra cura. Then came and still come the connecting links. 
Sometimes monstrosities delude our judgment. Thus Mr. J. Day, the excellent and most experienced orchidist, 
had one day Cattleya Trianzei lacera in flower, with serrate petals. For some years these flowers appeared, but finally 
