MILTONIA. 



105 



The following particulars relating to the first discovery of this 

 beautiful plant were communicated to M. Godefroy, of Argeuteuil, 

 by the late Benedict Roezl : — 



"Towards the end of March, 1873, 1 was going down the little 

 river Dagua which flows into the Pacific Ocean. Like all the streams 

 which flow into the ocean from tlie western Cordillera of New Granada, 



Milti'iiia R.x'zlii alba. 



the current is rajjid. I had reached to about ten miles from the outlet 

 when my attention was arrested by the trunk of a tree that was being 

 borne along down the stream upon which was an orchid, quite imknown 

 to me, in full liloom. I inimediatcdy requested my negro to seciire the 

 treasure, a matter of considerable difficulty owing to the strength of the 

 current. He at length succeeded in detaching the plants, three in 

 number, from the log, and which proved to be a new species of Miltonia 

 (Odnntoglossum), allied to Miltonia vexillaria and M. Phalcenopsis. 



