BRASSIA KEILIANA TRISTIS. 
[Pirate 347. ] 
Native of Caracas and Ocana. 
A dwarf, compact-growing evergreen epiphyte, bearing small, clustered ovate 
pseudobulbs; these when young are surrounded by numerous accessory, strongly- 
ribbed leaves, which, however, are not persistent. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, acute, 
some ten inches long and light green. Scape axillary, eighteen inches long, 
terminating in an arching, many flowered raceme. Bracts narrowly boat-shaped, 
longer than the ovaries, thin in texture. Sepals and petals linear, lengthened out 
into tail-like processes, the latter slightly the broader and shorter, all of a deep 
amber-brown; Jip large and flat, oblong, caudate in front, pale lemon-yellow, 
bearing a few oblong brown spots near the base. 
Brassta Kernrana Tristis, Reichenbach fil. MSS. 
Our present subject belongs to a somewhat extensive genus, all of which are 
natives of the western hemisphere; they are nearly allied to the Oncidiums, from 
which, however, Brassia is distinguished by its short earless column, by the presence 
of a pair of vertical plates on the lip, and by its narrow and much elongated, tail 
like sepals and petals. This latter character, however, is not a reliable one, as one 
or two species of Oncidiums have these organs considerably elongated, O. phymato- 
chilum being a familiar example. The flowers of the Brassias are distinct in 
appearance from those of other Orchids, some of the species and varieties being 
exceedingly beautiful, well deserving the attention and care of cultivators. They 
have graceful racemes of curiously-formed flowers, the form here depicted forming 
an apt illustration, whilst several other kinds, well deserving the care of amateurs 
and gardeners, are described in the 6th edition of The Orchid Growers’ Manual. 
Brassias, when in bloom, have a charm peculiarly their own, and for this reason 
we have introduced the present variety to our readers, as it is our aim to illustrate 
‘good and desirable forms of all the genera in cultivation, in order to show how 
great is the diversity of nature’s productions even in this one order of plants, 
although they are not all so showy or so strikingly beautiful as the numerous 
Varieties of Cattleyas and Lelias, &c., &c. 
The various species of the genus which were formerly grown, fell into dis- 
repute “te years ago upon the introduction in quantity of more showy-flowered 
ds ; Indeed, they were almost discarded from our collections, and consequently 
have only been imported in small quantities, so that now they are becoming 
Popular again, they are, to some extent, rarely to be obtained. 
