VANDA SANDERIANA 



[Plate 12 4. J 



Native of Mindanao, Philippine Islands 



Epiphytal. Stems short, tufted, densely leafy. Leavr^ distidioii« rorni\r,l, rigid 

 and leathery in texture, broadly ligulate, channelled, obliquely cut away at tlu- .jcut,- 

 apex,_ evergreen. Racemes axillary, many-flowered. Flowera Inr^^o (fully four rm.l n 

 half inches across), and from the parts lying in one plane liavirig a prinul f ' 

 resemblance to those of Odontoglossum vexillnrixim ; dorsal sepal roundinh, ol)o\ai.- 

 (one and three- quarteb inches by two inches), of a doHc;ite r.>.>y blush on bi.ili 

 surfaces, slightly stained with buff-yellow^ at the base; lofrnd sf'/xds <liv.i|jUi(. but 

 overlapping, obliquely and broadly obovate (two and a quarter inches by tlir- hn-h \. 

 pale nankin on the outer surface, tha inner of a drop greenisli vll.r^v, \Mtli 

 about nine longitudinal prominent veins of a bright purpll.sli crini-in, pxt.'-ii'io 

 from the base to within a quarter of nn inch of the tip, and cuimccLcd bv 

 tranvcrse lines of the same colour, breaking off into dots tuwanb tli< niargiu ; 

 petals much smaller than the sepals, obovate-cuneate (one and a qu:irt<T inch hv 

 one and a half inch), the principal portion rosy blush like the dorsal ge[>ab buf 

 the lower edge tinged with yellow, and bearing a few purple spots; !ij> sinall, h .-«, 

 than an inch broad, spurless, the basal part (hy2)0chil) concave, pale }»urpli>h r»»d, 

 ribbed exteriorly wdth nankin-yellow, the front lobe (epichil) shortly stalked, blunt Iv 

 heart-shaped, with the tip strongly recurved, chocolate-purple, with tlr • itromin«"t 

 ndges. or crests extending from base to apex, where tho niiddh' ii<igc just falls ♦«h«»rf 

 of the two outer ones. Column very short, pale yellowish, nlrnost tom-hinsr ih'- 

 sides of the concave basal lobes of the lip. Ovarij hcxangular, pink. 



Vaxda Saxderiana, Reichenhach fd., m Gardeners' Chrou'n'lr, n.s., xviL, 588 : 

 Id. XX., 440, figs. Q7 (habit), 68 (inflorescence). 



Esmeralda Sanderiana, Reichenhach Jil, in Gardemrs' Clnndde, x.R., xv.i.. 

 588 in note. 



^^^e have no hesitation in stating that this is the most won'Vrfnl Orchid t' ^ 

 ^^^ been introduced for many years— one which all grow, is will bn MhzhU^ t 

 possess as it belongs to a most nnble section of the (h-ehid family, of which thirr- 

 h^vc long been many beautiful species in cultivation. That which we no.> il'""^ 

 h.>wevor, as regards size, far eclipses its congeners, since it prfKlur-r-s ih- Wj ' and 

 most extraordinary flowers of any that have yet been brouglit to Htdit. T)." 

 Vaudas arc conspicuously beautiful in their folinge as well ns in their fl^ -, au'^ 

 the introduction of this magnificent species will, we cannot doubt, be the m 

 of inducing Orchid growers generally to take a more lively intn ' in t>'*-ir 

 cultivation. What can be more charming than a fine vari(-y of Vand^ car- - 

 or K .>.r.is, or K tricolor, all of which, moreover, bloom at the same time, and 



