74 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
lip-like in shape and colour (Orch. Rev., i., P- 310; il., p. 207). This pecu- 
liarity renders the variety very distinct, and the abnormal character cannot 
be considered a defect, as judged from the florist’s standpoint, but rather as 
giving the flower an additional attractiveness. The character seems to be 
quite fixed, as in the case of Uropedium, and the double form of Epidendrum 
vitellinum. One other abnormal condition of this Cattleya is knowns 
namely, C. intermedia var. prolifera, which was figured in 1887 (Gard. Chron., 
i, pp. 14, 33, fig. 3). An examination of one of the dried flowers 
mentioned above shows the cause of the peculiarity, the column being 
abnormal. It is well known that the pair of teeth or wings seen on the 
column of so many Orchids are staminodial in their origin—occasionally they 
revert to their original character, coming as perfect anthers—and in this 
case they seem to have partly or wholly wandered from their usual position, 
and have become united with the petals, thus giving them their partially 
lip-like character. In fact, the side-lobes of the lip were long ago recog- 
nised by Robert Brown as staminodial in their origin, and, though this view 
has sometimes been questioned, there can be little doubt that it is the 
correct one, as Lindley and Darwin also held. That the petals are not 
transformed into perfect lips is what might have been expected, for each 
petal has only the addition of a single staminode. These abnormal flowers 
are often interesting for the light they throw on the structure of an Orchid 
flower, but the present one is also handsome, and we may hope to see it yet 
under cultivation in Europe. R. A. Rolfe.” 
FERTILITY OF PAPHIOPEDILUM FAIRRIEANUM HYBRIDS. 
THE recent article in the OrcHip REvIrW regarding ‘‘ Paphiopedilum 
Fairrieanum and its hybrids,” reminds me of a rather singular experience 
we have been having with the hybrids from this little species, which may be 
of interest to some of your readers. During the past five years we have 
used the pollen from more than fifty blooms of these various hybrids, viz :— 
X Niobe, x Arthurianum, x vexillarium, x Amesiz, X Ballentinei, and 
xX Edwardi, and not one seed pod has developed from all these crosses. On 
' the other hand, we have produced good seed from fertilizing x Arthurianum 
with xX Leeanum and other hybrids, as well as from pollen of several 
species, while x vexillarium has also produced good seed, from pollen 
of various species and hybrids. We have made several attempts to produce 
fertile crosses on X Arthurianum, and on X vexillarium, with. pollen of 
various other Fairrieanum hybrids, but so far have met with disappoint- 
ment. It would be very interesting to hear from others who have 
experimented with these hybrids. 
J. E. RoTHWELL. 
