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CHYSIS. 



As a genus, it is easily distinguished by its fleshy fusiform stems that 

 are densely leafy upwards, and thickening after the leaves have fallen ; 

 by its short racemes of fleshy flowers produced from the axis of 

 the young growths and in which the lateral sepals are adnate to the foot 

 of the column ; the lateral lobes of the lip are erect, and the two- 

 winged column is produced at the base into a foot. Moreover, the 

 pollinia are eight, four in each chamber (loculns) ; the capsule is 

 nearly as large as that of a Cattleya of the lahiata group, but instead 

 of six acute ribs, there are three obtuse ribs alternating with three broad 

 thick plates, beneath which dehiscence takes place when the fruit is mature. 

 The forms here described are those in cultivation ; in addition to 

 them, two or three others are known to sciencej but not yet in- 

 troduced into gardens. They are all natives of Mexico and New 

 Granada. 



The genus was founded by Lindley upon Ohysis aurea, one of 

 the few orchids that have the power of self-fertilisation, and which in 

 this case almost always takes place just before the flowers expand, 

 and hence if the flower be examined after expansion, the pollim'a 

 are found to be more or less fused together. From this circum- 

 stance Chysis (x'''"''^"; '^melting") was selected for the generic name, 

 although it is almost certain that Lindley was not aware of the 

 cause of the fusion of the pollinia when he gave the name, as 

 may be gathered from the laboured description of their appearance 

 in the Botavical Register under plate 1937.* 



Cidtnr((l Not(\ — Chysis may be cultivated either in puts or in teak 

 baskets ; the former filled with drainage to two-thirds of their depth 

 are most commonly used. The compost should consist of equal parts 

 of fibrous peat and sphagnum, and the plants should be grown in shade 

 in a temperature ranging from 15 — 20° C. (60 — 70" F.) by fire heat 

 according to the season of the year. Water nuist be supplied liberally 

 during the growing season, but when the plants are at rest they require 

 oidy a quantity sufficient to prevent the stems from shrivelling ; the 

 plants may then be removed to a cooler and drier position either in 

 the same or in another house. 



Chysis aurea. 



Stems fusiform, 6 — 9 inches long, attenuated at the base into a foot- 

 stalk and bearing at the apex 4 — 6 broadly lanceolate, acuminate leaves 



* Nor, perhajis, was Mr. Benthani, wlio asks, "Lindley pollinia superiora cum massa 



materia- viscidulai semifusa deseripsit, an in florc impcrfccto vel montroso I In floribus 



specierum 2 a nobis examinatis, pollinia vidimus omnia 8 perfecto distincte, etsi in uno 

 flore valde iua-qualia. 



