20 



DENDROBIUM. 



SU.b.-VarS. distinguished by colour only ; album, flowers very pale, nearly 

 white ;* aurantiacum, flowers orange-yellow, the richest coloured of all 

 the forms yet introduced. 



Dendrobium aureum is one of the most widely distributed of all 

 Dendrobes ; it has been gathered in eastern Assam, on the Khasia 

 Hills, in Nepaul, the Madras presidency, on the elevated parts of 

 the southern province of Ceylon, in Moulmein and other parts of 

 Burmah, and in the Philippine Islands ; it is, therefore, not sur- 

 prising that it should prove to be a polymorphous species. It was 

 first sent to England from the Khasia Hills, by Gibson, in 1837 ; 

 it was collected by Simons, in Assam, in 1 852 ; the variety 



Dendrobium aureum. 



Benshalli was said to have been received by Messrs. Rollisson, from 



Java, in 1857 ; t pallidum was found in Ceylon by Mr. Macrae, 



growing on trees near Nuera Ellia ; philippinense was sent by 



Cuming, in 1842, to Messrs. Loddiges, from the Philippine Islands ; 



it occurs in various parts of the island of Luzon, chiefly on 



trees, and not infrequently on the stems of the Cocoa-nut Palm. 



Both the typical D. aureum and its varieties flower in January 



and February, when few other Dendrobes are in bloom, the pleasant 



fragrance of the blossoms lending an additional charm to their 



* The distinction between the varieties pallidum and Henshalli, and between these and the 

 sub-variety album is by no means clear. 



+ The presence of Dendrobium aureum in .lava seems to require confirmation. 



