CALANTHE BILOBA. 
[PLatE 378.] | 
Native of India. 
Terrestrial. Pseudobulbs elongated, bearing numerous large leaves. Leaves oblong- 
lanceolate, acuminate, tapering below, much plaited, and rich deep green. Scape 
erect, terete, longer than the leaves, and bearing on the summit a long, many- 
flowered raceme of singularly beautiful flowers. Bracts numerous, membraneous, 
lanceolate, acuminate. Sepals larger than the petals, oblong, acuminate; petals much 
narrower, all of a purplish hue; lip deeply bilobed in front, prolonged at the base 
into a short spur. The ground colour is purple or rosy purple, streaked and veined 
with lines of white. With age the colour of the whole fower changes, passing into 
bronzy orange. 
CALANTHE BILOBA, Lindley, Folia Orchidacea, Art. Calanthe, No. 5. 
This is a beautiful species of the evergreen section of the genus, all of which 
are extremely ornamental, and well merit the attention of all growers of Orchids. 
At the present moment this is a rare plant in cultivation, although specimens were 
collected as far back as 1854 by Dr. J. D. Hooker in Sikkim at an altitude of 
4,000 feet, and the only specimen we have yet seen blooming is the one whose portrait 
we have much pleasure in laying before our readers. This plant flowered in the 
collection of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where many rare and beautiful 
Orchids are grown in company with quantities of curious and interesting small-flowered 
Species which, as a rule, are not found in other collections, and we are indebted to 
the kindness of Professor Dyer, the Director of the Gardens, for the opportunity of 
figuring this grand and rare species. Culanthe biloba produces cylindrical pseudobulbs, 
which bear large dark green plaited leaves, from between which, from the top of the 
bulb, the Scape issues, bearing on the summit a dense raceme of many flowers. The 
blooms are quite distinct in colour from any other species belonging to the ever- 
sreen section; the sepals and petals are purplish, tinged with yellow-brown, the lip 
purple, striped with white, and it continues in perfection for many weeks. 
We have not had any personal experience in the cultivation of this species, but 
of other kinds, taking Calanthe veratrifolia as the typical plant of the ection; a 
should have no hesitation in saying it may be easily grown well, and flowered in the 
temperature of the East India house. We learn from Professor Dyer that it ae 
Well under the same treatment as C. veratrifolia. For plants of this section we preter 
the side tables, in order to give them the full benefit of the light, but they sae 
ding from the hottest sun. It will require a liberal supply of water during the 
