[11] 
CYPRIPEDIUM SELLIGERUM MAJUS. 
This was raised as a cross between Cypripedium barbatum Lindl. and philippinense Rchb. f, by Messrs. Jas. Veitch and Sons as early as 1875. 
They took my name selligerum, I having compared the staminode to a saddle. It was, however, only in 1878 (according to Williams’ Manual, vi. 257) that the 
plant was noted in the catalogue of Messrs. Jas. Veitch and Sons, they fully forgetting both my description of the plant sent them and my having given the 
name (the catalogue is not at hand at this moment, but Dr, Masters and Mr. B. S. Williams do not change documents). Finally, in 1880, in Gard. Chron., 
June 19, p. 776, there appeared a description and the Williamsian xylo. Looking over my very numerous specimens I find a very great variety in the flowers. 
Many have a quite transverse unpair sepal, others a narrow one, The hairs on petals appear sometimes quite scarce, sometimes very numerous. The spots 
on base of petals also vary considerably in number. 
E Leaves scarcely longer than those of Cypripedium barbatum, but with the varnish of Cypripedium philippinense and a very slight indication of a 
painted dark nervation. The flower stalk rather strong, mauve brown. Inflorescences one- to three-flowered. The bracts are much shorter than the stalked 
ovaries, which are mauve and green, The flowers are larger than those of Cypripedium barbatum and have rather long petals, which are crenate, deflexed in 
the first flowers, They are whitish at base, with green veins and some dark blotches, and light mauve purple on anterior blade, The sepals are white with 
reddish violet veins. The lip is brownish. H, G. Rehb. f. 
Xz 
oN 
Icon, analytica. Flower of the first peduncle raised. 
Tue hybridisation of Cypripedia, so extensively carried on of late years, has resulted in the production of a most 
valuable race of garden plants. It is true one may point to some of these hybrids as being inferior in point of beauty to 
their parents ; a great number, however, are extremely handsome, possessing for the most part vigorous constitutions and a 
free-flowering tendency, surpassing that of the species from which they sprung; indeed, one of the most remarkable points 
about nearly all these hybrids is their robust growth, even of those whose parents are of weakly constitution. Examples 
of this may be seen in C. Sedeni, one of whose parents is the small C. Schlimii, and C. vexillarium, a cross between 
Fairicanum and barbatum, thus proving that by intercrossing a weakly-growing: plant with one that is strong the progeny 
almost always has a vigorous constitution. The hybrid herewith figured is one of the finest that has been produced. It is 
the result of intercrossing the old and well-known C. barbatum and another eastern species C. philippinense (C. laevigatum) 
belonging to the section, having often several-flowered stems, long and nearly unmottled leaves, and attenuated sepals. 
The progeny of these two species is a remarkable instance of a hybrid possessing exact intermediate characters between 
its parents. The leaves are larger than those of C. barbatum, and slightly mottled ; the flower stems are erect, and bear 
one to three or more flowers larger than those of either parent. The form and colour are so well shown in the plate that 
we need not describe either. The plant represented here, however, is a major form of the original, and is in every way 
superior to it, notwithstanding the fact that both forms were raised from seed from one seed vessel. It is difficult to 
account for this great difference in seedlings that originated from the same cross and from the same seed pod, though 
this is not a solitary instance among Cypripeds; for instance, C. cenanthum superbum and C. tessellatum porphyreum 
are different from, and superior to, the typical forms. Hybrids between the same species, but from different 
individuals, differ, as, for example, C. Leeanum superbum, a cross between C. insigne Chantini and Spicerianum, differs 
greatly from the original plant, named C. Leeanum, and much superior. This may be accounted for by the variation in 
the species used as parents. Crosses between the East Indian species are most numerous, but the finest are those 
between the solitary-flowered species, such as C. barbatum, and those bearing several flowers, as Stonei and levigatum. 
What the hybridist has not succeeded with yet is the intercrossing of the South American or Selenipedia section and 
the eastern species, but this even may be accomplished in the future. 
The cultivation of this Cypriped is not difficult. Being a vigorous grower, it likes strong food, so that the 
compost should consist of equal parts of fibrous loam and peat with sphagnum and broken charcoal and sharp river 
sand. It must have at all seasons an abundance of water, particularly during summer, when also occasional syringings 
ay be given. The amount of water to be given in winter must be determined by the state of the weather and the 
atmosphere of the house, whether dry or otherwise. Like almost all Cypripeds, it requires to be shaded from direct 
sunlight, therefore it is advisable to grow the plants during the summer on the north side of a house. It delights in a 
hot and moist atmosphere, with a temperature ranging from 65 deg. to 75 deg. F. in summer, and proportionately lower 
in winter. It may be grown with perfect success in an ordinary stove with a mixed collection of plants, as indeed may the 
majority of the strong-growing Cypripedia. No particular period can be defined as the flowering season of C. selligerum, 
as it blooms at all seasons, but most abundantly during spring and early summer. 
From a plant now in the possession of J. R. Pitcher, Esq., Shorthills, New Jersey, U.S. A. 
