LYCASTE. 83 



The poUinia are four in two pairs, attached to the small gland by 



a long slender caudicle (stipes). 



In their vegetation the Lycastes are remarkably uniform, so much 



so that the following general description of the pseudo-bulbs, leaves 



and inflorescence applies to all the species in the following synopsis : — 



The p^eudo-hulhs are of ovoid form more or less furrowed, with 



rounded ribs or obscurely angulate, and bearing at their apex 1 — 3 



leaves that are sub-evergreen, rarely persisting more than twelve month.'^, 



often much less. 



The leaves are of oblongdanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate form, more or 

 less acuminated, with about five pale nerves and pbited ; they are 

 always narrowed below into a channelled foot-stalk. 



The scapes arise from the base of the latest-formed pseudo-bulljs, and 



are, except in one species, one-flowered ; they have from two to four 



joints with a membraneous brown sheath at each joint, and a similar 



but larger bract at the base of the ovary.* 



The geographical distribution of the Lycastes is nearly conterminous 



with that of the Odontoglots with the exception of one outlying 



member in southern Brazil. They occur on the Cordilleras of 



tropical America from Mexico to Bolivia, but their vertical range is 



generally lower than that of the Odontoglots. Like the Odontoglots, 



toOj the species are somewhat aggregated towards the northern 



limit, becoming fewer and more dispersed till the southern limit is 



reached. All the Andean Lycastes occur within the region coloured 



light brown on the maps illustrating the distribution of Odoutoglossum. 



Cultural Note. — The climatic conditions under Avhich the Andean 

 Lycastes grow are fully stated in the notes on the geographical dis- 

 tribution of Odoutoglossum and Cattleya.f The Lycastes of "Mexico, 

 Central America and Colombia, generally speaking, occur within the 

 higher range of the Cattleyas and the lower range of the Odontoglots; 

 as regards temperature therefore, they occupy a mean position between 

 the two, and as regards humidity they live in a region in which there 

 is nominally a dry season of three or four months only. The climate 

 of the zone within which they are found on the Andes of Peru is 

 not, so far as known, essentially different from that of their range in 

 Colombia. The cultural routine is a very simple one : — Tlie plants 

 should have ample pot room as they root freely ; a compost of rough 

 fibrous peat and sphagnum moss with a drainage of broken crocks to 



* The number of scapes produced from one pseudo-bulb varies considerably in the 

 different species and even in the same species. We have observed instances in which 

 from 15 to 20 flowers have been produced from a single pseudo-bulb. 



+ Odontoglossum, p. 9 ; and Cattleya, p. 6. 



