AKACHXANTHE. O 



terrestrial African genus, Lissochilus." * Tlie late Mr. Jolin Gould 

 Veitch visited the Philippine Islands in 1864, and detected this orchid 

 growing in great abundance close to the sea-shore on the small 

 island of Guiraares in company with Gi/pripedium lohilipjpmense, and 

 quite recently it has been observed by David Burke and other collectors 

 on that island and also in Mindanao. In the last-named locality it 

 grows fully exposed on bare rocks on the sea-shore, often within a 

 few feet of high water mark. The stems sometimes attain a height 

 of ten to twelve feet, from which are produced numerous stout, 

 cord-like roots that cling so firmly to the rocks to which the plants 

 affix themselves as to resist the force of the monsoon, which blows 

 with a violence unknown in this climate. It is scarcely less abundant 

 on many of the small uninhabited coral islets scattered among the 

 Molucca group, where it grows under the same conditions as in 

 Mindanao. 



As a hoi-ticultural plant Stauropsis lksoehiloid,efi. is confined to 

 comparatively fow collections. It is a giant among orchids, com- 

 parable in this respect with Angrcscum eburneum, and hence its 

 unwieldy size takes up more house-room than can be conveniently 

 assigned to it. Moreover, its flowers, although handsome and lasting 

 upwards of three months, are surpassed in attractiveness by many 

 of the dwarf er species of Van da. 



ARACHNANTHE. 



Blume., Flor.jav. Praef. p. 6(1828). Id. Rumphia IV. p. 55, t. 196 (1850). Benth. et 

 Hook. Gen. Plant. III. p. 572 (1883). 



Under Arachnanthe are now brought two of the most remarkable 



orchids seen in European gardens, viz., Arachnanthe Cathcartii and 



A. Lowii. They were both originally introduced as Vandas, but 



have since been removed from that genus chiefly on account of 



the different fovm of their perianth segments, especially the labellum 



which is neither saccate nor spurred, moreover it is articulated on 



* Adding, "The name (lissochiloides) is, however, on record, and the strict rules of 

 botanical nomenclature seem to forbid the change, but it is so manifestly absurd to 

 retain for a plant a name that has originated in some misconception, that we venture for 

 once to disregard the rule for the sake of common sense." If names are to be altered 

 "for the sake of common sense," Slaurojms lissochiloides is certainly not singular in 

 that respect 



