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THE ORCHID REVIEW, 204 
(rhizophorum) in bloom this spring, and have made about fifty attempts to 
get a pod of seed set, failing in every instance, though all kinds of pollen 
available was used, and flowers of, various stages of development, as well as 
different hours of the day and night, all with negative results. E. X 
O’Brienianum, however, will produce seeds readily, in two months, when 
crossed with Sophronitis, Cattleya, Lelia, or other Epidendrums. Can 
anyone tell why E. radicans is a failure as a seed bearer ? 
_Epidendrums of the radicans section do finely here in full sun all the 
year—often over 100 degrees Fahr.—and flower freely when about three 
feet high. Shade is fatal to flower production and attenuates growth. 
E. .., ORPET. 
South Lancaster, Mass., U.S.A. 
ERIAXIS RIGIDA. 
In the conchiding part of Reichenbach’s Xenia Orchidacea, just issued, 
is a coloured plate and description of a remarkable Orchid from the island 
of New Caledonia, to which Dr. Kranzlin gives the name of Epistephium 
Regis Alberti (iii., p. 158, t. 291). The genus Epistephium has hitherto 
been considered as exclusively Tropical American, and the present plant has 
characters which clearly exclude it. But it is not a new plant, as supposed, 
having been described by Reichenbach as long ago as 1877, under the 
name of Eriaxis rigida (Linnea, xli. p. 63). It was considered as forming a 
monotypic genus. Bentham, however, in the Genera Plantarum, reduced 
it to Galeola, though, in addition ‘to some well marked floral differences, the 
presence of leaves at once stamps it as distinct, the species of Galeola 
being leafless saprophytes. The appearance of the present figure 
confirms Reichenbach’s view that it is a distinct genus, for the densely 
tomentose pedicels and sepals, without a calyculus, as certainly exclude it 
from Epistephium. It is a striking plant with Epistephium-like leaves, and 
branched panicles of crimson flowers, with a deep yellow longitudinal crest 
composed of retrorse hairs, resembling those of Vanilla. As already 
remarked, the pedicels and back of the sepals are densely covered with a 
 fulvous tomentum. It was collected many years in New Caledonia, by 
Vieillard (n. 1348 of his Herbarium) Pancher, and Deplanche, and in the 
adjacent Isle of Pines by Milne (n. 428), during the voyage of the Herald, 
The latter collector briefly noted it as ‘‘ Table-land Orchid.” The 
specimens now figured are indicated as collected by ‘‘ Hodgson, 1887.” 
It grows to three feet or more high, and would probably be difficult to 
introduce alive. 
Ay, 
