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128 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [June, 1928, 
9, 3 
Z | ORCHIDS OF COSTA RICA. Kis 
HE following extract from a letter of Mr. C. H. Lankester, Las Concavas, 
, Cartago, Costa Rica, who has previously sent some notes on Costa 
Rican Orchids (see page 3), will be read with interest. 
I have had many small Orchids which would have interested you, but 
insecurity of transit has prevented me from sending them. In my move 
from Cachi to this place many small things were lust, and some of them one _ 
may never see again. Here, in a hedge quite close to my farm, my children 
found a lot of a tiny Cryptophoranthus, which grows downwards and has” 
leaves heavily spotted with purple dots. I saw it once in Cachi, and had a 
few little pieces of it. Hexadesmia crurigeta is very abundant in the hedge- 
rows in Agua Caliente (our nearest village), principally on Erythrina, and 
occasionaly on Acnistus arborescens, which, by the bye, is an excellent a 
artificial host for nearly all Orchids, having a deeply pitted and grooved 
pithy bark. I gathered a great many plants in flower, and they looked 
charming placed in Indian pottery, besides rendering our rooms deliciously 
fragrant; now they have been attached to various trees in the garden. 
Native Orchids now in bloom are Odontoglossum Schlieperianum, an 
Oncidiuin, Comparettia falcata, Laczena spectabilis, and Epidendrum alatum, 
the latter deliciously scented at mid-day. An Epidendrum (aromaticum ?) 
that we have in abundance attracts Syntomids that one never sees otherwise, 
unless at bright light at night time. The Stanhopeas are all budding, and 
we shall soon have masses of “ Toritos,” as the Costaricans call them (little 
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bulls, in allusion to the horns of the hypochil), a name that by analogy is — 
freely conferred here on other Orchids without justification. The Cattleyas 
are segregated by the name of “ Guaria,” but Orchids as a group beat ne 
hideous name of “parasites.” It is always a delight to find the Orchid 
Review in my Letter Box; I never wait to get home before opening and just 
dipping into it. In reference to materials for growing Orchids. 1 am 
trying the fibrous turves formed by willow roots. It might be worth 
investigating their possibilities. Ifyou have friends in the low countries; 
get them to send you samples taken at different distances from the trunk. 
: end you two small Orchids for identification, both from Cachi, a Stelis 
a 
final note recalls an article entitled, ‘ Willow roots as substitute for peat = 
and we should be glad to hear of any further results. —ED-|: 
