ZYGOPETALUM GAUTIERI. 
[PiaTE 28. | 
Native of St. Catherine’s, Brazil. 
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs oblong, deeply furrowed, the younger ones ancipitous, 
attached to a branched creeping rhizome. Leaves fascicled, distichous, the outer ones 
shorter, the central ones narrowly elongate-oblong, plicate with a strongly developed 
costa, ten to twelve inches long, bright green. Scape issuing from the centre of 
the leaf-tufts, and terminating in a drooping raceme of three to six flowers, furnished 
with elongate-oblong amplexicaul bracts, those subtending the flowers being nearly as 
long as the pedicels. Flowers large, showy, green blotched with brown, the lip 
purple with darker purple ruff in front of the column; sepals and petals oblong, 
acute, nearly equal, the petals directed upwards, all pale green transversely barred 
‘ya blotched with purplish brown; lip broad, three-lobed, furnished with an obtuse 
_ spur, the lateral lobes erect, rich deep purple, forming a crenated unguliform ruff 
» or frill around the column, the middle lobe very large, two inches across, roundish, 
broader than long, apiculate, deep bluish purple, lighter at the edge. Column short, 
‘ half surrounded by the purple ruff, arcuate, the anther case yellow, with a projecting 
point at the apex. 
ZycoreraLum Gavtriert, Lemaire, Illustration Horticole, t. 535; Williams, Orchid 
Grower's Manual, 5 et; Sli. , 
4 
This genus of Orchids does not comprise so many species as many others, but 
among those which: are known and introduced, are some which make very useful 
autumn and winter flowering subjects, and which are well adapted for decorating our 
oe and Orchid houses. Amongst them occur some of the oldest of cultivated 
Orchids, such as are generally to be met with in good old-fashioned places. We 
Temember to have seen plants of Zygopetalum Mackayi and Z. crinitum some thirty 
Yeats ago, also of Z. maxillare—grand specimens with from seventy to a hundred 
flowers Upon them, and a magnificent sight they were, with their numerous spikes 
Pisin around the foliage, as represented in the plate, and being similar in 
s es Species which we now desire to bring to the notice of our readers, is a 
FY lovely one, which has. been sometimes considered as a variety of Zygopetalwm 
grower th in blossom for several weeks. In addition to this, it is a much freer 
wachiie ss Z. masillare, We have had different plants in flower for several 
in fei - —- they seemed as though they would continue blooming much longer ; 
feature "i Species seems to flower whenever it makes its young growth—a peculiar 
which renders it the most useful of its class. 
