ORCHIDS. 57 
AERIDES.— Air Plant. 
In this genus, epiphytes from the East Indies, of the third tribe, 
are combined with rich evergreen foliage and opposite leaves, grace- 
fully curving flower-stalks, and blossoms of fine fragrance, of sin- 
gular rather than beautiful form, proceeding from the axils of the 
leaves. They are natives of the hottest parts of India and other 
tropical regions, attaching themselves to trees, generally such as 
overhang running streams of water. 
These plants possess a remarkable tenacity of life, imbibing 
their whole nutriment from the atmosphere, without aid or inter- 
vention of any soil or other substance. One writer tells us that if 
the flower-stalks are removed from the main plant before the blos- 
soms are fully developed, and suspended by strings from the ceil- 
ing of a room, they will live for weeks, and even months, supported 
by the moisture floating in the atmosphere, and continue blossom- 
ing luxuriantly. Hence they are among the favorite ornaments 
of dwellings in China and Japan. 
