CLASSIFICATION, 107 



the names of S. Ohica and S. palmifolmm ; all the other species both 

 Indian and South American are brought "under a new genus Avhich he calls 

 Paphiopedilum. In the Monandr.e a group of species hitherto referred 

 to Masdevallia including M. pulvinaris, M. OdJiodetf, M. gibber osa and 

 others distinguished by the boat-shaped united lower sepals and free upper 

 sepal and also by some characters of the inflorescence, are constituted a new 

 genus under the name of Scaphosepalum. This genus will doubtless be 

 generally accepted as it frees Masdevallia from an anomalous group of 

 species that diverge too far from the type. Calanthe as circumscribed by 

 Bentham is split up into four genera, the terrestrial species alone 

 (section Veratrifoli^e nobis) being retained under Calanthe ; Lindley's 

 Limatodes is restored in C. rosea ; Reichenbach's Preptanthe is adopted 

 for Q. vestita and its allies, and a new genus called Calanthodium is 

 created for the reception of C. Inhrosa. Don's Pleione is separated 

 from Coelogyne, C. Gardneriana, Lindl., made sectional by Lindley as 

 Neogyne is raised to generic rank under that name. All Bentham's 

 sections of Zygopetalum, as Huntleya, Bollea, Pescatorea, etc., are restored 

 to generic rank. Vanda Cafhcariii, Lindl, is referred to Reichenbach's 

 Esmeralda in preference to Blume's older genus Arachnanthe. A new 

 genus Vandopsis is created for Vanda Batemanii, Lindl. But to continue 

 the enumeration of the changes proposed by Dr. Pfitzer would more than 

 weary the reader. 



In this work, whicli is confined to cultivated species and hybrids 

 belonging to the Tribes Epidendre,^;, Vande.e and Cypripebie.e, the 

 sub-tribal divisions as defined by Bentham are strictly followed. 

 Bentham's genera also are adopted with the exception of a few 

 which he had reduced to others, but which we have restored for 

 reasons given under each. 



The number of species of orchids has been variously estimated 

 from 5,000 to 10,000, the enormous disparity arising from the 

 different views respecting the limitation of species entertained by 

 different botanists. The lowest estimate is that of Mr, Bentham, 

 with whom British botanists are generally in accord, while the 

 higher estimate is accepted by those who incline to the practice of 

 the late Professor Reichenbach. The limitation of species recognised 

 in this work is that of the eminent French naturalist, and quoted 

 by Professor Duncan in his address to the Linnean Society at the 

 anniversary meeting in 1884. Lamarch defined a species as — 



" A collection of similar individuals which were produced by other 

 and similar individuals. This definition is exact, for every living thing 

 nearly resembles that which produced it. That the species is constant 



