COLAX. 



67 



Kaised by SeJen at our niirsery. In this hybrid the influence of 

 the pollen parent is manifested very distinctly, both in the vegetative 

 organs as described above and in the floral organs as shown very clearly 

 in the accompanying illustration of the hybrid and its parents. In 

 addition we may note that while in Colax the leaves of the young 

 growths appear before the scapes and in Zygopetalum the reverse takes 

 place, in the hybrid the leaves and scapes appear almost simultaneously. 

 This hybrid, whether in its botanical or horticultural aspect, is one of 

 the most interesting we have yet raised. 



COLAX. 



Lindl. in Bot. Keg. 1843, misc. p. 50. Rchb. in Walp. Ann. VI. p. 553 (1863). 

 Under Colax Lindley grouped three species from southern Brazil 

 previously referred to Maxillaria,* but which he removed from that 

 genus ou account of the peculiar structure of the polliuary appendage; 

 this remarkable structure is shown iu the accompanying illustration 

 of Zijgocolax Veitchu.'\ Mr. Benthatn merged Colax into Lycaste^ 

 but its pollinary appendage as clearly distinguishes it from Lycaste 

 as from every other genus, and on that ground it is here retained. 

 Its proved affinity to Zygopetalum through the bigeneric hybrids 

 described in page Q6 shows that its systematic place is very near that 

 genus. The generic name is the Gx'eek word KoXa^, ''a parasite." 



Oolax jugosus. 



Pseudo-bulbs elongate-ovoid, 2—3 inches long, diphyllous. Leaves 

 broadly lanceolate, acuminate, 6 — 9 inches long. Scapes about as long 

 as the leaves, sheathed by pale green acute bracts, 2 — 3 flowered. 

 Flowers 2— 3 inches across transversely ; sepals oval-oblong, obtuse, 

 French - white ; petals obovate-oblong densely spotted and barred with 

 violet-purple (very rarely with rose-purple) ; lip shorter than the other 

 segments, shortly clawed, three-lobed, the side lobes rotund streaked 

 with violet-purple ; the front lobe semi-circular with numerous fleshy 

 pubescent keels, streaked and blotched with dark violet-purple. 

 Column stoutish, bent towards the apex, hairy in front, spotted with 

 violet-purple. 



Colax jugosus, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 18i3, misc. p. 51. Rclib. Xcn. Orch. I. p. 



107. t. 41. Id. in Walp. Ann. VI. p. 553. Bot. Mag. t. 5661. Illus. hort. 



1872, t. 96. Maxillaria jugosa, Lindl. iu Bot. Reg. 1840, raise. No. 104. Lj'caste 



jugosa, Benth. in Gen. Plant. III. p. 548. 



* Maxillaria viridis, Bot. Req. t. 1510; M. placanthera, Bot. Mag. t. 3173; and M. 



jugosa, Bot. Reg. 1841, misc. No. 104. 



+ This appendage is thus described by Mr. Rolfe in the Gardeners' Chronicle, I. s. 3 

 (1887), p. 766 :— "It has no distinct gland, but con-^sts entirely of a thin wavy membrane, 

 strengthened by an elevated line in the middle, and gradually narrowing to a line at the 

 point where the gland is usually found." 



