18 THUNIA. 



inflorescence is terminal and borne on the young leafy stems; the 



bracts are persistent. 



The flowers are in drooping racemes of five to seven or more ; the 



pedicels are short and enclosed at first in large sheathing spathes; the 

 lip is traversed by 5 — 7 fringed lamellae, the spur is short and obtuse, 



and the column has two small wings at the apex. The pollinia are 

 four, but bipartite or equivalent to eight. 



The three forms described below are horticulturally distinct, but 

 scarcely specifically so ; they usually flower from May to July. The 

 genus is named after Count von Thun Hohenstein^ of Tetschin, in 

 Bohemia. 



Cultural Note. — The plants should be re-potted about the middle of 

 March in a compost of fibrous loam, silver sand, rough peat, and chopped 

 sphagnum ; the pots should be half filled with broken crocks for drainage, 

 and the remaining space up to the brim Avith the compost, into 

 which one or more stems may be placed according to the size of 

 the pots used, and held firmly in their places by means of sticks ; 

 but they should not be crowded, as the Thunias root freely. 

 The plants should then be placed in the lightest position in the East 

 India or Dendrobium house, where they should remain till the flower 

 buds appear. "Water should be given sparingly at first, but when the 

 young shoots push above the surface of the compost, it should be given 

 more copiously, and occasionally a little manure water may be applied 

 with advantage ; the supply should be contiimed till the flowers are past, 

 and even afterwards an occasional watering should be given so long as 

 the leaves keep green, "VA^ien these begin to change colour, the plants 

 should then be allowed to enter upon their annual period of rest, and 

 be stowed away in any light and dry place where the temperature does 

 not sink below 10° C. (50° F.) and water entirely withheld. 



The Thunias are among the very few tropical orchids that admit of 

 being readily propagated. This is usually efi'ected by cutting the previous 

 year's shoots into lengths of about 6 inches each, and inserting them 

 firmly in pots filled with drainage crocks and compost in the same 

 proportion as for rooted plants. This operation should be performed 

 in May or not later tlian June. 



Thunia alba. 



Stems 2i — 3| feet long. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 6 — 8 

 inches lonf, light green, glaucous beneath, and with a pale mid-nerve. 

 Flowers in racemes of 5 — 9 or more on short white pedicels, sheathed 

 by a large, white, boat-shaped bract; sepals and petals similar, white, 

 oblongJanceolate, acute ; lip oval, oblong, with fringed anterior margm, 

 white, with five fruiged lamellae on the disk that are sometimes purple, 



