58 ORCHIDS. 
AERIDES QUINQUEVULNERUM. 
Tue whole name of this most singular, grotesque, one-sided 
variety — represented by Plate No. XV.— put into intelligible 
English, would be Air Plant of five wounds, and the name accu- 
rately describes the number of petals with their apparently bloody 
marks. It is a native of the Philippine Islands, and blossoms 
in September. 
This variety may be characterized as an evergreen of luxuriant 
growth, having small, unusually shaped blossoms, — white, spotted 
with purple, and rope-like roots, often three feet and more in length. 
High floral authority gives the subjoined description of the 
characteristics of the whole family of the AZrides, which we con- 
fess seems to us somewhat exaggerated: “These plants are all 
peculiarly beautiful, uniting rich evergreen foliage, graceful habit, 
and elegant flowers of exquisite fragrance. The stem of the plant 
is straight, or slightly bent, with leaves attached on opposite sides; 
the plants have large, fleshy roots, shooting horizontally from the 
lower part of the stem. The racemes of flowers are from one to 
three feet in length, often branched. They are of easy growth; 
must have a good supply of heat and moisture in the growing 
season; are propagated by cutting them in pieces, having root 
attached to each piece. No collection of orchids can be complete 
Without some of these charming plants.” 
So forth issew’d the Seasons of the yeare: 
First, lusty Spring all dight in leaves of flowres, 
That freshly budded and new bloosomes did beare, 
In which a thousand birds had built their bowres 
That sweetly sung to call forth paramours; 
