PESCATORIA CERINA. 
[PLATE 394, ] 
Native of Central America. 
Kpiphytal. Growth tufted, quite destitute of pseudobulbs, but bearing numerous 
oblong-acute leaves, which are arranged in a distichous manner, recurved, about a foot 
long, and deep green. Peduncles about six inches high, rising from the base of the 
leaves, and bearing a single large flower on the apex, which measures some three 
inches or more across. Flowers thick and fleshy in texture; sepals and petals nearly 
equal, concave, rounded, even at the margins, and of a pale straw colour or — 
white ; ip ovate and convex, bearing near the base a thick semi-circular ridge, whic 
is made up of numerous truncate plaits and folds, and slightly bi-lobed in front, 
yellow, of a more decided hue than that of the sepals and petals. Column waxy 
white at the tip, deep violet at the base. 
PescaTorRIA cCERINA, Rehb. fil., Xenia Orchidacea i., t. 65; Floral Magazine, 
Second Series, t. 93; Williams, Orchid-Grower’s Manual, 6 ed., p. 514. 
Huntiteya certna, Lindl., Pazxton’s Flower Garden, iii. 62, fig. 263; Botanical 
Magazine, t. 5598; Bateman’s Second Century Orchidaceous Plants, t. 183. 
ZYGOPETALUM CERINUM, Rchb. fil., Flore des Serres, t. 1815. 
The genus Pescatoria contains many highly curious and beautiful plants, and it 
was so named in honour of the late M. Pescatore, whose famous collection of Orchids 
at Chateau Celle-St.-Cloud, near Paris, was at one time the finest in Europe, and 
whose plants formed the basis of the collection formed by M. Quesnel, at Havre. 
Botanically, it is said to approach very closely to Zygopetalwm, and the species here 
represented was first named by Lindley Huntleya cerina, which name it retained in 
English gardens for many years. It was discovered by the Polish nobleman, 
Warscewicz, in 1851, on the volcanic mountain of Chiriqui, in Veragua, at an 
elevation of 8,000 feet, growing on trees of the genus Trichilia, which are found 
there, and also on some species of Cupania. It flowers in luxuriance during the 
autumn months, which, under cultivation, renders it specially acceptable and 
valuable, as at this season Orchid blooms are somewhat scarce. There are numerous 
other species of this genus, P. Klabochorum and P. Lehmanni having already appeared 
in previous volumes of this work; but besides these, there are many other species and 
varieties well deserving the care and attention of Orchid cultivators, as- their flowers 
are delicately coloured, they last long in beauty, and are so very distinct from the : 
great majority of the Orchid family. ee 3 
