Plate 169. 



DENDROBIUM BIGIBBUM. 



Doiihle-spurred Dendrolium. 



Gen, Char, {Vide sitpray Plate 105.) 



Dendrobium (§ 



higibhum ; caulibus elongatis apice 3-5-phyllis, raccmis crrctis 



datis 



subrotund 



fig 



A species of Dendrobium with very handsome flowers ; hut the long, slender, hare 

 pseudobulbous stems, and few and narrow sparse leaves which occm' in some varieties. 

 detract from the general beauty of the plant. We are indebted for the specimen hn'u 

 figured to Mr. C. Loddiges, who forwarded it to the artist, in Kovember, 1855 ; he had 

 received the plant from Dr. Thomson, who discovered it on Mount Adolphus, Torres' 



St 



the north-east coast of New Holland. In consequence of this tropical locftl 



requires greater 



than most Australian Orckid^ce, but is vrrr 



easily managed. A drawing, made on the spot and dried specimens show tliat from 

 ten to twelve flowers are sometimes found upon one peduncle. They last long in 

 beauty, and are freely produced in the winter and spring months. D. BWH, 1>. 

 Tattonianum, JD. Johamis all come from the same locality, and may be a8sociat<'<l with 

 ^ in cultivation. They form a very interesting group. 



Descr. Pseudohulbs stem-like, long, slender, fusiform, a span or more in h-ngth, 

 the younger ones clothed with green, sheathing, foliaceous scales, and at the extremity 

 bearing two to four or five narrow, linear-oblong, subacuminated, very obscurely striated 

 leaves. The older stems or pseudohulbs are swollen at the ver} base, and are sheathed 

 throughout the length with pale, brownish, membranaceous, striated scaJe.% and have 

 no leaves. From these older stems the peduncle arises from near th*- npex, and is 

 «bout as long as the stem, erect, in the present instance, two- to ten- or tNVclve-fl<Avrn-d. 

 blowers deep like. Sepals ovate, spreading; two lateral one. f^rmfnating Mn^^■ in 

 short, blunt, curved spur ; above this spur is a gibbosity, occasioned by thr hk ^ swelluig 



.1 



the base of the lip : from the presence of this and 



derived the .specific 



