FEBRUARY, 1923.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 49 
attraction. This particular segment has received much attention from 
horticulturists, in fact, it has been developed out of all proportion to the 
other segments of the flower. In brief descriptions of the numerous hybrids 
a — it has frequently happened 
7 a Le EX ZO that the dorsal sepal alone 
has been described. The 
lateral sepals are, how- 
ever, differently placed ; 
instead of standing out 
separately one on either 
side of the flower, they 
are united at their inner 
edge and take the form of 
a single segment that is 
yy 
sometimes referred to as 
the ventral sepal. In 
the accompanying illus- 
tration of Cypripedium 
Spicerianum the con- 
bined lower sepals can be 
seen immediately behind 
the labellum, or slipper- 
like pouch. On _ rare 
occasions Cypripedium 
flowers are produced in which this segment is divided, the two portions 
standing out separately like the two lateral sepals of other genera. 
An interesting point is the manner in which the sepals of Cypripediums. 
Ss 
CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM. 
are arranged when in the bud stage. All 
Cypripediums from the tropics of the Old 
World have the sepals arranged in im- 
bricate form, a term denoting that the 
dorsal sepal is folded within the lateral 
pair; they have been classified in the 
section Paphiopedium. The American 
species have valvate sepals, or in other 
words, the sepals meet one another only 
; DRIGUEZIA VENUSTA 
ir sides ; n classified = 
at shetr #0) : these ihe ae 7 With lower sepals connate into a boat-like body 
under the headings Selenipedium an 
Phragmipedium. Rodriguezia venusta affords another example of the two 
not only into’one segment, but forming a boat-like 
lower sepals combining, 
body of curious construction. 
