MILTONIA (ODONTOGLOSSUM) BLEUANA 
SPLENDENS. 
[PLaTE 412.] 
Garden Hybrid. 
Epiphytal. The result of a cross between Miltonia vexillaria and M. Roelii, 
having small ovate pseudobulbs, and linear-lanceolate acuminate leaves, which are 
. Soft green on the upper side, paler beneath. Scape erect, three to five flowered. 
Flowers large, but as the lip is not so disproportionate as in M. vewillaria, the 
flowers are rounder; sepals and petals oblong-ovate, broader than those of either 
of its parents, the former white faintly tinged with rose, petals broader than the sepals, 
and more obiuse, same colour as the sepals in the upper part, but having the 
lower half stained with a large blotch of lively rose; lip shortly clawed at the 
base, obcordate, trilobed in front, but in a less degree than that of M. vewillaria, 
and having a small mucro in the notch similar to M. Roezlii, ground colour creamy 
white, not pearly white; on the dise the ground is pale yellow, over which is 
spread a large blotch of soft chocolate-brown, which extends forwards in rayed 
streaks. Column short, raised up. 
Mittonta BLEUANA SPLENDENS, Bleu, M.S. 
Mitron1a Bievana, Linden and Rodigas in Lindenia, iv., t. 176. 
Mintonia Breut, Godefroy, L’ Orchidophile, February, 1889, p. 45. 
Mittontopsis Bievt, Godefroy, L’ Orchidophile (with figure), May, 1889, p. 145. 
In this beautiful variety we have probably the first artificial hybrid Miltonia 
produced in the gardens of Europe which has flowered, and its great beauty will 
doubtless stimulate the hybridisers and cross-breeders of these plants to fresh 
exertions. This plant is due to the energy and skill of Mons. A. Bleu, of Paris, 
to whom we are already indebted for many excellent hybrid Orchids. It is the result 
of a cross between Miltonia vewillaria and M. Roedii, and it combines the beauties 
of both parents. It is curious that so little has been achieved with this genus and its 
near ally Odontoglossum, for we have observed that in the case of seedling O. Uro- 
Skinneri that the plants grow freely, and we therefore cannot account for the tardy 
appearance of hybrid forms in our gardens; even the beautiful plant, whose portrait 
is now before us, opened its flowers just four years and nine months from the time 
of its being crossed, so that in this case the plants appear to come on very quickly. 
Of supposed natural hybrid forms of Odontoglossums from their native country we 
already have quite a host in our collections, and for this reason care will be 
necessary in naming our own seedlings, in order to avoid clashing with names 
