436 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [May, 1923. 
D. primulinum owes its specific name to the cowslip fragrance of the 
flowers, which expand during the months of February and March. The 
stems are erect, but assume a pendulous habit when fully grown. Flowers 
two to three inches across, sepals and petals pale mauve-lilac, the lip pale 
primrose-yellow with some purple streaks at the base. There appears to 
‘be much variety in the flowers, one, known as giganteum, having a consider- 
ably enlarged labellum. 
D. aureum, also known as D. heterocarpum, is a seiache distributed 
‘species. It has been found in eastern Assam, Burmah, and the Philippine 
Islands, and was first sent to England from the Khasia Hills, by Gibson, in 
1837. The stems are erect, from nine to eighteen inches high, while the 
flowers are two inches or more across, produced in twos and threes from the 
upper nodes, cream-coloured, the lip buff-yellow streaked with reddish- 
‘purple. Several varieties have been described. 
D. thyrsiflorum was introduced by Messrs. Low & Co., in 1865, through 
the Rev. C. Parish, its discoverer. It was found in the forests of Moulmein 
and of the Kargen district of Lower Burmah. The stout stems, 18 to 24 
inches in height, bear at their apex several thick leaves. ‘The pendulous 
racemes carry numerous flowers, each about 14 to 2 inches across; white, 
the downy lip orange-yellow. When well flowered this fine species makes 
a grand effect, for the masses of flowers are seldom equalled by any other 
member of the genus. 
ANTS IN OrcHID HouseEs.—Ants appear to have a particular liking for 
the pollen of certain flowers, and frequently carry away some that is of 
value to the Orchid hybridist. Messrs. J. & A. McBean find a successful 
method of capturing them consists of placing pieces of boiled bones at 
intervals on the staging. Periodical examination generally leads to the 
discovery of large numbers of ants endeavouring to obtain food therefrom, 
when their capture is easily effected. 
Some 
MILTONIA VEXILLARIA vaR: G. D. OwEeNn.—This well-known variety, 
distinguished by the-dark crimson blotch on the basal area of the labellum, 
ihas always received attention by hybridists, and several excellent results 
have been produced. Recently, Messrs. J. & A. McBean have flowered 
about a dozen seedlings which they raised from seed obtained by fertilising 
the above plant with its own: pollen.’ One would: expect that a certain 
amount of reversion to the normal type of unblotched flower would result, 
but such has not so far been the case, for all the dozen plants have yielded 
flowers with the very same dark crimson blotch on the labellum. Another 
point of interest is that the flowers of these seedlings are larger than those 
of the parent. 
