356 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [DECEMBER, 1923- 
two species of undoubted purity. We are lead to enquire more deeply into 
the constitution of the superbiens parent: is it a true species or a natural 
hybrid? Although D. Phalznopsis has been imported in tens of thousands, 
D. superbiens has always been a scarcer plant. It is true that comparatively 
small lots of the latter have been received at different times, but this fact 
does not disprove its being a natural hybrid. 
D. bigibbum, superbiens and Phalenopsis have all been collected on the 
islands of Torres Straits and the adjacent coasts of Queensland and New 
Guinea. A fourth plant, described as D. Fitzgeraldii, is believed to be 
a natural hybrid between Phalenopsis and undulatum. Fitzgerald remarks 
that its characters would almost lead to the conclusion that it is a variety 
of undulatum, and the less robust growth and colour of the flowers to the 
‘supposition that it has arisen from hybridisation between D. undulatum and 
D. bigibbum, or some other of the lilac species found in Australia. He 
also states that the flowering period is April, and that a plant in the 
possession of Capt. Broomfield continued in flower for thirteen months, 
producing at least twelve spikes at a time, the individual flowers lasting 
three months. 
In conclusion, we can only hope that still further evidence on these 
elegant and interesting plants may come to hand from someone well 
acquainted with the localities in which they exist naturally. It may then 
be possible to determine with a greater degree of accuracy the precise 
character of D. superbiens, : 
—— ar 0-4 ) 
CyPRIPEDIUM ALBION.—A few years ago, Mr. F. C. Puddle, when in 
charge of the Scampston Hall collection, raised Cypripedium Astarte by 
crossing insigne Sandere with Psyche (bellatulum xX niveum). Being 
interested in watching the results of selective inbreeding, he followed this 
up by crossing niveum var. Goliath with Astarte, and the seed of this had 
just germinated when the collection was dispersed. Fortunately, a number 
of the seedlings have been traced and purchased by the Hon. Henry D. 
McLaren, whose collection at Bodnant, Tal-Y-Cafn, is now in charge of 
Mr. Puddle. Some of these seedlings have recently reached the flowering 
stage, and when one of them was exhibited at the Royal Horticultural 
Society on October 6th, a First-class Certificate was awarded. This 
particular plant, distinguished as the Bodnant variety, bore a charming 
flower of wax-like nature, porcelain-white, and with a wey few faint dots of 
colour on the sepals and petals. 
ORCHID CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.—Owing to 
pressure on our space, the continuation of the article bearing the above: 
title is unavoidably held over until our next issue. 
oy 
