DISA RACEMOSA. 
[PLATE 356. | 
Native of the Cape of Good Hope. 
Terrestrial, herbaceous. Leaves four to six, radical, spreading lanceolate-acuminate. 
Scape erect, from a foot to eighteen inches high or even more when vigorous, 
somewhat flexuose, clothed with numerous bracts, which are oe at the base, 
becoming smaller upwards, an * agi terminating in a many-flowered secund 
raceme. The wers are showy, of rosy purple hue, and measure some three 
inches across; dorsal sepal helmet- hapa acute, erect, gibbous at the back; Jateral 
sepals plain, ‘spreading, oblong-acute ; petals small, obliquel oblong, incurved at the 
apex, and arching over the anther, of a deeper hue than the sepals ; lip sub-filiforme, 
acuminate. Colwmn erect, or ascending. 
Disa racemosa, Linneus, Botanical Magazine, t. 7021. Williams’ Orchid 
Grower's Manual, 6 ed., p. 626. 
Satyrium sEcunpDUM, Thunberg. 
Disa secunpa, Swtz. Sprengel Systema Vegetabilium, iii., p. 698. 
Very few species of this genus have yet been introduced to cultivation in this 
country, although it is a somewhat extensive family, and contains numerous bright 
and showy species. The genus Disa appears to be confined to South Africa and 
Abyssinia, but when the African Continent becomes more opened up to Europeans, 
it may be found to be more widely distributed. The various species are mostly 
found in cool shady places, and often in large masses on rocks by the sides of 
streams, and over which the moisture falls. 
Some brief descriptions of a few of the showy kinds of Disas (the present 
species amongst the number) will be found in the sixth edition of the Orchid 
Grower’s Manual, p. 626, but there are many other kinds in Africa well deserving 
attention, Mr. James O’Brien, of Harrow, being at present the most assiduous 
introducer of these plants. 
Two beautiful Disas, new to cultivation, have flowered this year in the country, which 
gives hope for the extended cultivation of these plants—the one we now figure 
under Linneus’ name of Disa racemosa, and a blue-flowered species, D, gramini-— 
folia, received from Mr. Tautz, of Shepherd’s Bush, and from which a plate has 
been prepared for publication in the Orchid Album, at an early date. It affords 
us much pleasure to introduce and bring to the notice of our subscribers the portraits 
of the various members of this genus, as these beautiful plants can be so very 
easily cultivated by all Orchid growers in a greenhouse or cool frame. What can 
