324 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [NOVEMBER, 1914. 
| DENDROBIUM FORMOSUM GIGANTEUM. ne 
OME time ago a well-flowered pseudobulb of the hardsome Dendrobium 
formosum giganteum was sent by Messrs. Stuart Low & Co., who 
pointed out its distinctness from the old stout-bulbed type, and suggested 
that a history of the variety would be interesting. We have also included 
an account of the other known varieties. 
The earliest mention of D. formosum giganteum that we have found is in 
1866 (Flore des Serres, t. 16033), where its introduction is attributed to 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., though its native country is not mentioned. In 
1879 it was figured in the Orchid Album (vii. t. 308), where it is said to have 
been originally introduced by Messrs. Hugh Low & Co. about the year 
1856, from Rangoon. Somewhat later another figure appeared (Gard. 
Chron., 1882, i. ps 369, fig. 54), where the habitat is briefly indicated as the 
Eastern Himalaya. It is now generally considered that D. formosum 
giganteum is the Burmese form of the species, but there is evidence that 
the short-bulbed form also grows in Burma, and it is not certain that the 
two can always be distinguished geographically. Colonel Benson, in 1870, 
called the Burmese plant simply D. formosum (Gard. Chron., 1870, p. 763), 
and remarked :— 
“I have never observed it growing at any elevation worthy of notice 
among the plains, or at any great distance from the sea. . . . The 
favourite habitat for D. formosum is on trees growing on a laterite soil, as 
Dipterocarpus levis and a species of Dillenia. This plant does not seek 
shady places for growth, in fact, so far as my knowledge goes, few Orchids 
do, beyond what is given by the trees when in leaf. During the months of 
February, March, and April they must be exposed to an atmosphere of 110° 
Fahr. in the shade.” 
There is also a painting made by Mr. John Day in July, 1876 (Orch. 
Draw., xix. t. 69), made from a plant purchased at Stevens’ Rooms about 4 
year earlier, and of which Mr. Day remarks: ‘‘I have no doubt it came 
from Burma.” He then compares it with the Assam form, which he says 
is a smaller plant with shorter bulbs and smaller flowers, but of more 
perfect form. In fact, this figure represents D. formosum giganteum, 
though not so labelled. 
The best account of this variety that we know of is by the late Major- 
Gen. E. S. Berkeley, published at Pp. 137, 138 of our second volume. He 
remarks :— 
Of all the hundreds of varieties of Orchids that grow in the neighbour- 
hood of Moulmein, the first to attract attention is Dendrobium formosum: 
The variety which grows here is that known by the gardeners @° 
