NoVEMBER, 1922.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 325 
CYPRIPEDIUMS—THE SELENIPEDIUM SECTION. 
By HAROLD RAVEN, The Croft, Ruddington, Notts. 
HOUGH completely unfashionable to-day, one or two Selenipediums 
C are to be found in most collections, neglected, tucked away in some 
obscure corner where, in spite of lack of attention that would kill most 
Orchids, they persist, and flower almost as freely as weeds. A good deal of 
their unpopularity may be put down to this readiness to please, to their easy 
culture and moderate price; were they suddenly to become rare, or be: 
found difficult to grow, they would speedily be lifted from this obscurity 
and found worthy of better treatment. 
This section, which is endemic to Southern America, is found in the 
forest country of Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. In 
appearance the various members are much alike, having shining light green 
leaves, in some varieties such as caricinum, borne in a reed-like manner, 
the flowers are carried well above the leaves, on two to four-flowered 
spikes, and range in colour from pale rose to greenish-white and creamy- 
vellow. C.caudatum with its long, twisted ribbon-like petals, is at once 
one of the most curious and interesting plants in the genus; other well- 
known species are C. caricinum, longifolium, Roezlii, Schlimii and vittatum. 
Constitutionally they are vigorous, rapid-growing plants, and a good 
rough compost of osmunda fibre and sphagnum moss with firm potting 
delights them. Water should be freely given, and they should be placed at 
the warm end of the Cattleya or intermediate house and afforded 
atmospheric humidity approximating as nearly as possible to their natural 
forest habitat. Personally I do not consider heavy shading advisable, in 
these, as in other: Orchids, it is the strong, dark, well-ripened growths that 
produce the sturdiest flower spikes. 
One of the strongest Orchids I have ever seen was a plant of C. 
Schréderze that was growing in a lean-to vinery heated as a stove; the plant 
Was standing on a gravelled stage at least fifteen feet from the roof glass, 
where in damping the stage it was inevitably deluged with ape Apparently 
it had not been potted for some years, for the pot was filled with roots and 
the compost had long decayed. And yet, in spite of these impossible 
conditions and the fact that it was frequently exposed to such strong 
sunlight that the leaves were scorched, it grew magnificently, HS BAGS 
polished growths with leaves often two feet in length, reminding one of ie 
Clivia by their vigour; producing flower spikes that often had two or three 
flowers open at a time. ‘ 
Since Dominy and Seden, the section would seem to have been entirely 
neglected in the advance of the genus through hybridisation; this, one 
cannot help but feel, is undeserved when one considers the successful results- 
