4 DENDROBIUH. 



belong to this very extensive group, and which is also subdivided for 

 scientific purposes into sub-sections, a subdivision which also has its 

 uses in the practical work of the cultivator.* We therefore note the 

 leading characteristics of the four principal sub-sections of Eudendrobium, 

 the fifth and remaining one containing no species of interest to the 

 amateur. 



Pycnostachyce.f Racemes dense, lateral or subterminal ; flowers nume- 

 rous, crowded, small, with the spur usually elongated. Dendrohium 

 secundum is the typical species of this sub-section, which also includes 

 D. cumidatum and a few others. 



Formosce.X Flowers showy and large, usually white, rarely pale yellow, 

 in loose clusters crowded at the top of the stem. This sub-section is 

 popularly known as the nigro-hirsute, on account of the young shoots 

 of many of the included species being clothed with short black hairs, 

 such as Dendrohium formosum, D. Infmidihidum,, D. Draconis, D. Loivii, 

 D. carhiiferum, etc. 



Calostacliyte.% Flowers often showy, produced in loose, more or less 

 elongated lateral racemes. It includes Dendrohium chrysotoxum, D. 

 Farmeri, D. Brymerianum, D. fimbriatum, D. moschatum, D. thyrsiflorum, 

 and other popular kinds. 



Fasciculaia.*^ Flowers often showy, produced in lateral fascicles of 



twos and threes, and not infrequently solitary from the leafless stems, 



but sometimes from the leafy ones as in Dendrohium ochreatum. A 



numerous group, including very many favourite species, as D. nobile, D. 



aureum, D. crassinode, D. Bensonice, D. Devonianum, D. lituiflorum, D- 



Wardianwn, etc., etc. 



The vegetative organs of the Dendrobes have been so frequently 



referred to in the foregoing sketch of the classification of the species, 



that but little remains to be stated respecting them. The following 



diagnosis refers almost exclusively to those met with in the orchid 



collections in this country. 



The cultivated Dendrobes are tufted plants consisting of stems springing 

 from a slowly-creeping woody rhizome, from which are emitted dense 

 fascicles of thread-like roots that spread over and cling tenaciously to 

 the bark of trees, or to the rocks to which the plants are attached. 



The stems are cylindric, club-shaped, rod-like, or even pseudo-bulbous, 

 generally terete, but sometimes angulate, compressed or fun owed, especially 



* The utility of adopting a scientific division of the Dendrobes for cultural purposes was 

 first recognised by the late J. C. Spyers. See The Gardener for February, 1882, but the 

 divisions sketched by him do not quite correspond to those in the text. 



t From 7ru/v.woG, " dense," and <rra\VQ, "a spike "or raceme. 



X Formosus, " beautiful in form. " 



§ From Ka\oCj " beautiful," and or«xi»c, "a spike" or raceme; this subsection includes 

 /'< ndrocorync (club-stemmed Dendrobes) of Liudley. 



T Fasciculata, "in bundles," horn fasciculus, "a small bundle." 



