CALANTHE VESTITA OWENIANA. 
[Piate 464.] 
Garden Hybrid. 
Terrestrial. Psewdobulbs conical, fleshy, bluntly angulate, deciduous; from four 
to six inches in height. Leaves thin membranaceous in texture, _plicate. 
Scape sub-erect, issuing from near the base of the pseudobulb, clothed with large 
ovate lanceolate bracts, from eighteen inches to three feet in length, and bearing 
-a bold raceme of highly coloured flowers, which measure between two and_ three 
inches across. The sepals and petals are nearly equal, spreading, broadly lanceolate, 
acute; the former white, suffused with rose, the latter of a deeper rose colour; 
lip flat and spreading, three-lobed, the side lobes deeply-cleft, very broad, middle 
lobe cleft in front, the colour being of a bright rosy crimson, with a large white 
-centre. Spur filiform, incurved, shorter than the lip, greenish. 
CALANTHE VESTITA OweEntANna,, Williams, supra. 
This is a very beautiful and distinct hybrid of our own raising, a cross 
betwéen Calanthe vestita and C. Veitchiit, the last named being one of the first 
hybrid Orchids raised by the late Mr. Dominy, when in the service of Messrs. J. 
Veitch and Sons; and the other parent which is frequently named C. vestita lutea 
was discovered by Dr. Wallich, in Tavoy, now nearly seventy years ago. There 
have been many varieties raised of these deciduous Calanthes, but we do not 
recollect any that resemble this one, which we have dedicated to G. D. Owen, Esq., 
-of Rotherham, an ardent lover of Orchids. 
Calanthe Oweniana belongs to the deciduous section of this genus, which lose 
their leaves shortly before the flowers expand, a circumstance we have heard 
-decried by many; but these plants, when arranged with Maiden-hair Ferns, 
-or with Palms, form an admirable group at the very dullest time of the 
year. These plants used to be largely grown in the London district a few years 
back, but so bad has our atmosphere become, that Calanthes now are never seen; 
-outside London, however, in the country, where the air is more pure, they still 
maintain a grand display. These plants will soon be ready for starting into 
growth, when all the old soil may be shaken away, and then re-potted. The 
pots must be well drained, and the soil consist of good turfy light loam, peat, 
‘and dry cow manure, the latter to be only in small quantities. When this is 
properly mixed together pot the bulbs, but do not elevate them above the 
pots rim, as is done with the majority of Orchids; the bulbs may then be 
placed in a light place in the East Indian house, and as the sun gets brighter 
