ANGRAECUM SESQUIPEDALE. 
[PLaTe 518.] 
Native of Madagascar. 
Epiphytal. Stem simple, two or three feet high, sending out aérial roots at 
intervals, covered by the sheathing bases of the leaves. Leaves distichous, leathery, 
dark green, ligulate-oblong, twelve inches long, keeled, apex blunt, obliquely bilobed., 
Scape axillary, producing from one to four large ivory-white fragrant flowers which 
measure ten to twelve inches across; bracts ovate-acute, brown, one-half or one- 
third the length of the pedicelled ovaries. Sepals cuneate-oblong, acuminate ; petals 
somewhat racket-shaped, acuminate; lip panduriform, obcordate at the base, with 
acuminate reflexed apex; spur greenish, from twelve to eighteen inches long. 
ANGRAECUM SESQUIPEDALE, Du Petit Thouars, Histoire particuliére des Orchidées 
recueulies sur les trois tles australes d'Afrique, tt. 66-67. Lindley, Gardeners’ 
Chronicle, 1857, p. 253 (with woodcut); Jd., 1873, page 255, fig. 53; Id., 1879, 
new series, xii., p. 305, fig. 49. Botanical Magazine, t. 5113. Bateman, A 
Second Century of Orchidaceous Plants, t. 151. Flore des Serres, tt. 1413-14. 
Warner, Select Orchidaceous Plants, i., t 31.  L’Illustration Horticole, xill., t. 475. 
Gartenflora, 1872, t. 744. Jennings’ Orchids, t. 3.  Reichenbachia, i. t. 14. 
Lindenia, iv., t. 175. Veitch’s Manual of Orchidaceous Plants, Part vu., p. 138 
(with plate). The Gardening World, 1894, x., p. 73 (specimen plant); Jd., p. 421 
(with woodcut). Williams’ Orchid Grower's Manual, 7th edition, p. 101 (with 
woodcut). Linden, Les Orchidées Exotiques, p. 578. 
A#RANTHUS SESQUIPEDALIS, Lindley, Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants, 
Dp. 24d, 
We are pleased to be able to give a plate of this wonderful and popular 
Orchid, believing the same will be welcome to our subscribers. It is without 
doubt one of the most chaste and, at the same time, curious plants to be found 
in the whole family of Orchids. 
Angraecum sesquipedale was first discovered by Du Petit Thouars, a French 
botanist and explorer, and was described by him in his work on the Orchids of the 
African Islands. It was, however, to the Rev. W. Ellis, of Hoddesdon, a very old 
friend of ours, when engaged upon missionary work in Madagascar, that the credit 
is due of introducing it in a living state into this country in 1855, one of this 
importation—a small one—having produced its flowers two years afterwards. — Since 
this time it has been frequently re-introduced, and it is now to be found in most 
collections where warm Orchids are grown. Mr. Ellis has described this plant as 
being found by him in the lowest and hottest districts on straggling trees at the 
edge of the forest, where there is plenty of light and air. A. sesquipedale in 
