ACINETA HUMBOLDTII 



[Plate 297.] 



Jfative of U.S. of Columbia and Venezuela. 



Epiphytal. Pseudohulhs stout, oblong-ovate, somewhat angular, about three inches 

 high, and deep green. Leaves usually three or four, broadly lanceolate, strongly 

 ribbed, a foot or more long, and about three inches broad, leathery in texture, 

 and rich deep green. Raceme pendulous, about two feet long, many flowered, 

 furnished with numerous large ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, membraneous bracts. 

 Floivers sub-globose, thick and waxy in texture, rather fugacious ; sepals oblong- 

 obtuse, concave, spreading, deep tawny yellow on the inside, with a few spots and 

 dots of chocolate scattered irregularly over the surface, on the outside they are 

 suffused with purple, and densely spotted with deep chocolate ; petals flat, rhomboid, 

 partly enclosing the column, much smaller than the sepals, deep rosy red, profusely 

 dotted with crimson ; lip small, lower part oblong concave, lateral lobes cuneate, 

 chocolate at base, dotted with crimson, front portion pointed and bilobed, yellowish 

 white. Column short, with broad, rounded wings, 



AciNETA HuMBOLDTii, Lindl. Botanical Register, 1843, misc. 100 ; Flore des 



Serves, x., t. 992-3 ; Moores' Illustrations of Orchidaceous Plants, Acineta, 1 ; 



Williams, Orchid-Growers Manual, 6 ed., p. 92. 



Peeisteeia Humboldtii, LindL Botanical Register, 1843, t. 18, 



Anguloa supeeba, Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth's Nova Plantariim Genera 

 et Species, i., t. 93. 



This handsome Orchid is a very old inhabitant of our stoves, being figured in 

 the Botanical Register as far back as 1843. It is closely related to the genus 

 Peristeria, and is a fitting subject for basket culture, producing a fine effect when 

 suspended from the roof of the house in which it is grown. About eight species 

 of this genus are known^ and these are all natives of tropical America. 



This plant is best grown in a basket, as the flower-spikes, which are produced 

 from the base of the bulbs, take a downward direction, pushing themselves out 

 through the sides and bottom of the basket, in the same way as Stanhopeas. It is of 

 easy culture, and should be grown in a compost of good fibrous peat and sphagnum 

 moss ; tlie addition of a few lumps of charcoal will bo found beneficial to it. It 

 may be cultivated either in the Cattleya or East India House, but we have 



found it to do better in the latter place, as it delights in an abundant supply of 



heat and moisture during the growing season. It should be shaded from the fiei 



rays of the sun during the hottest part of the day, but a little stinshine in the 

 morning and afternoon will be found advantageous. It may be increased by 



D 



