[55 ] 
MASDEVALLIA HARRYANA ees. ¢ 
VAR. SPLENDEN S Sander. 
MASDEVALLIA HARRYANA, Rchb.f, Caulibus fasciculatis, foliis longe petiolatis crasse coriaceis anguste obovato-spathulatis in petiolum antice 
profunde sulcatum longe attenuatis, scapis gracilibus foliis longioribus subflexuosis, floribus decurvis, sepalis sanguineis inferne in tubum subcylindricum 
decurvum stramineum basi «quabiliter connatis, dorsali e basi triangulari elongato-subulato reflexo erecto, lateralibus maximis semiovatis attenuato-acuminatis, 
petalis parvis lineari-oblongis emarginatis basi uno latere auriculatis, labello unguiculato linguaformi basi cordato integerrimo, columna exalata, androclinio 
integerrimo, 
MASDEVALLIA HARRYANA, Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron., 1871, p. 1421; Fl. Mag, 1871, t. 555; Fl. & Pomol., 1873, p. 169; Belg. Hort. 1873, t. 21; Fl. 
des Serres, t. 2250. 
M. LinbDENn, Hook. f. Bot. Mag., t. 5990, non Lind. et André. 
M. LINDENI! VAR. HARRYANA, III. Hort, 1873, p. 167, t. 142. 
M. COCCINEA VAR. HARRYANA, Rolfe in Gard. Chron., 1889, pt. 2, p. 239; Veitch Man, Orch. Pl., pt. 5, pp. 34, 35, with fig. 
VAR. SPLENDENS, Sander, supra. , , 
Masdevallia Harryana was described in 1871, from specimens sent by Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, of Chelsea, to Prof Reichenbach, who in naming 
it after Mr. Harry J. Veitch, remarked that it was a dangerous if not a victorious rival of M. Lindeni, It was discovered by Chesterton in 1871, near 
Sogamosa. Messrs, Veitch remark that its principal locality is on the eastern Cordillera, between Sogamosa and Conception, where its vertical range is 7,000 
—10,000 feet ; and that it is particularly abundant on that part of the Cordillera called the Sierra Nevada de Chita, where it spreads in uninterrupted masses 
for miles, covering acres upon acres of the upland slopes, growing in the partial shade afforded by the low shrubs that abound in the place. When in flower 
these masses of Masdevallias are said to present one of the most striking floral sights which it is possible to behold, even in the tropics. The species is 
extremely variable, the colour ranging from rich crimson-purple, through magenta-crimson, scarlet-orange, and yellow, to cream-white, the lighter shades of 
yellow being the rarest, and only occurring in the higher altitudes. It is chiefly distinguished from M. coccinea by the broad lateral sepals and the reflexed 
dorsal one, and although far superior from a horticultural point of view, yet it is with difficulty separated from it by any absolute character, The identity of 
M. Lindeni with the original M. coccinea, and the confusion in the early history of this and one or two of the closely allied species were pointed out by me in 
1889 (Gard. Chron., 1889, pt. 2, p. 239), but there are several difficult points which yet remain to be cleared up, and among them the question whether M. 
Harryana is more than a geographical variety of M. coccinea, as I then thought possible. Messrs. Veitch apparently consider the former an alpine form of 
the latter, but the original M. coccinea was collected at 9,500 feet clevation on the high mountains near Pamplona, so that this point can hardly be considered 
conclusively settled at present. : R.A. Rolfe. 
Icones analytica. Flos a latere visus. Idem sepalis castratis. Columna et labellum a latere visa. 
Labellum fronte visum. 
Tus is one of the largest and most beautiful of the dazzling group to which it belongs, and has flowered from among 
the many thousands of M. Harryana, introduced by us from New Grenada. We know of no Masdevallia that is more 
variable in colouring than M. Harryana, or more useful and showy as a decorative plant.. A table of Masdevallia 
Harryana in variety, with ferns intermixed, is one of the loveliest sights imaginable, and for richness and brilliancy of 
colouring, and also in the size of the blossoms, M. Harryana splendens is unsurpassable ; its magenta and crimson- 
scarlet hues are truly astonishing. Many of our readers will remember the gorgeous specimens in variety that used to be 
met with at our exhibitions, and regret that these easily cultivated, flaming, floral subjects have been somewhat neglected 
of late years. Our own collectors describe these Masdevallias as growing in Columbia, near Bogota, in patches—acres in 
extent—from 8,000 to 12,000 feet elevation, sometimes under shrubs, but often in the open ina fog-laden atmosphere, 
blooming in the greatest profusion in almost every conceivable shade of colour—scarlet, crimson, purple, and magenta 
being most prevalent, lighting up the whole landscape with the abundance and marvellous brilliancy of their rainbow- 
hued blossoms. No orchids with which we are acquainted are more easily cultivated than Masdevallias, nor are there 
any subjects of the whole order that better tepay the care bestowed upon them. A north aspect is necessary, and 
abundant humidity, with plenty of water when growing, with a temperature in winter of 55 deg. F., and in summer as 
near 60 deg. as possible ; they will not bear a hot, dry, sunny position. We have received dried flowers of a pure white 
form of M. Harryana. 
Geographical position alters colour and form in every species of orchid. M. coccinea grows near Ocaiia, in 
Columbia, and nowhere near it is M. Harryana ever found—moreover, M. coccinea never varies in colour. M. Harryana 
inhabits the mountain slopes near Bogota—a vast distance from Ocaha—in Columbia, and its variations of colour and 
shape of flower also are endless. But even if we place locality, form, colour, and habit of growth quite aside, the two aie, 
botanically, easily distinguished, for M. coccinea has its dorsal sepal never, M. Harryana always, reflexed. The name of 
M. Lindeni does not exist, that of coccinea having priority, and we congratulate Mr, Harry Veitch on the fact that his 
name is associated with a plant which will be cultivated “as long as men last,” and which was his collector’s best 
discovery. Strange confusion about these two Masdevallias has crept into botanical works and compilations of late. 
Our plate was taken from a plant now in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, co, Dublin, (F. W. Moore, Curator). 
