[ 19 ] 
VAN IDEe (COBINUILIDN esa, 
(Lamellaria.) Macrantha racemosa sepalis tepalisque cuncato oblongis subacutis, tepalis reversis, labelli ligulati marginibus revolutis, carinis ternis 
ante basin abrupte decisis, apice retuso inferne cucullato bigibberosis, auriculis triangulo falcatis, calcari intus levi. o 
ae VANDA COERULEA Griff MSS. in litt.! Lindl. Bot. Reg. 1847, t. 30 adnot. Lindl. Paxt. Fl. Gard. L, p. 181, tab. 36! Van Houtte Flore des Serres, 
oe ! (eadem icon !) Lindl, F olia L, iv., Vanda No. 18! Rchb. f, Xenia Orch. I, t.5! Warner Sel. Orch. 1, 18! Linden, Liiddemann, Planchon, Rchb. f, 
escatorea 29! Lemaire Jard. Fleuriste 162 | Illust. Horticole 216! Mr. W. S. Kimball, Rochester, Vanda coerulea, Gard. Chron., 1888, Jan. 14, p. 21! 
VANDA COERULESCENS (cui? non Griffith !) Journ. Hort. Soc, 1851 VL, p. viii! 
4 Vulgo pedalis usque tripedalis. Folia lineariligulata apice sinuato excisa, utrinque acuta, lobis nunc ineequalibus, pauciserratis ; bene coriacea. 
edunculi arrecti usque bipedales, Internodia in planta spontanea semipollicaria, in culta usque pollicaria. Bracteze triangula: brevissime. Columna 
semitereti pandurata. Flores quos ego vidi omnes aquose ccerulei exclusa varietate infra descripta. 
Khasi hills Nov. 13, 1837, Bor Panee 2500. Gordonia occurred here of large size, the woods are really delightful, reminding one much of England. 
Here Myrica occurs, but rarely, F lemingia, Elephantopus, Vanda, Quercus callicarpifolius commencing, Griffith! “Near the R. Borpance at an elevation of 
2500 fect, on trees of Gordonia, in Pine and Oak forests, Griffith, fid. Lindl.! Eodem loco Th. Lobb! Khasia 3—4000 J. Hooker and Thomson ! Ibidem 
florens Septembri G. Mann ! 
; Typum pulcherrimum habui ab ill. Trevor Lawrence, Bart, M.P., P.R.H.S., October, 1879. Sepala et tepala alba nervis pulcherrime cceruleis. 
Labelli tumores antici et apex calcaris pulcherrime ac profunde ccerulei. Ovaria alba. Pedicelli aquose ccerulei. 
Fig. analyt. Columna cum labelli auriculis antice + Anthera a dorso ac a ventre + Pollinaria duo superne ac inferne visa + Pollinium transsectum + 
Additur flos connatus ex duobus floribus, quem habui olim ex horto Schilleriano. Cf. Masters Vegetable Teratology Synanthy p. 39. (This 
indispensable book is exhausted ; a new edition urgently wanted.) HG. Rehb. f. 
Str JosEpH Hooker added much to our early knowledge of this glorious Indian orchid when he wrote such a graphic 
account of its native home in his “ Himalayan Journals,” some thirty years ago. He and his fellow traveller, the late 
Dr. Thomson, met with it in their journey through the Khasia hill region, where they found it growing abundantly 
on the margins of the dense oak woods which clothe the hillsides that dip into the deep valleys. So abundant was 
this blue Vanda, and so profuse its flowers, that the trees appeared to be enveloped in a cloud of azure-blue. The 
multitudes of flower-spikes waving in the wind, each bearing from six to twenty flowers, was one of the most magnificent 
sights the travellers met with even in that rich flower region. It occupied, they say, but a short time to gather no fewer 
than 360 flower panicles, which were made into three piles cach a yard high. One can imagine the beauty of this orchid 
when seen in luxuriance in its native wilds, and, fortunately, we can grow it to greater perfection than ever it has been 
seen wind tossed on the Khasia hills. Unique in its colour among orchids it is always in demand, and enormous 
quantities have been imported, but years ago when its culture was but little understood, the death rate of imported plants 
was very high. We are told by Sir Joseph Hooker that seven man loads of the plant were collected and sent to Kew 
about the time he was travelling in Khasia; but where are they now ? Vanda ccerulea is an orchid that should be in every 
collection, however small, and lovers of it are not content to grow one plant but like to have it by the dozen, it being the 
only orchid that can produce such a glow of ccerulean hue during the shortening days of autumn. When in bloom its 
flowers remain in perfection much longer if kept in a rather dry atmosphere and an agreeable temperature. 
There is a great difference in the flowers of this species, the blossoms of the poorest forms being small and almost 
colourless, while those of the finest forms measure four inches across, with broad overlapping sepals and petals of a deep 
azure blue exquisitely marked with a pale network of veins, while the whole flower sparkles with minute crystalline cells. 
As many as twelve flowers have been seen on a spike on a plant of the Burford variety, which is exceedingly rare. 
Though the blue Vanda is classed as an East Indian orchid it must be borne in mind that it is a mountain plant 
and therefore requires the temperature of an intermediate house. Those growers succeed best who are careful to give it 
the least amount of heat necessary for it, with abundance of air. In its native home there is a periodical rainy season in 
which it makes its growth, and this should be imitated in cultivation by keeping a moist atmosphere in the house during 
summer and syringing overhead on sunny days, giving less water as the days shorten until, in winter, only just sufficient 
moisture is necessary to keep the sphagnum alive. This treatment induces a thorough rest and the plants start in spring 
with renewed vigour. It is generally grown in the coldest end of a Cattleya house, with a temperature of from 60 deg. to 
65 deg. F'., shaded from hot sun and well ventilated. The winter temperature should range from 55 deg. to 60 deg. F. 
The flowering season commences usually in October and continues for fully six weeks, after which the resting period 
begins. It may be grown in pots or suspended baskets which should be well drained. The soil should consist of a 
mixture of fibry peat, sphagnum moss and charcoal, with a surface layer of live moss. 
Drawn from a plant in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., Burford Lodge, Dorking. 
