BBASSIA. 99 



bloomer, producing three flowers upon each spike, which are 

 large, and white, spotted with chocolate. The temperature of 

 the Cattleya house suits it best, and it should be potted in 

 peat and sphagnum moss. I saw this rare plant blooming 

 beautifully in the collection of H. Gibbs, Esq., under the care 

 of Mr. Penny. 



B. glauca. — A desirable compact evergreen Orchid from 

 Mexico. Its blossoms are creamy white, with a pink mark 

 on the upper part of the lip. It blooms in February or 

 March, and lasts two or three weeks in perfection. This is 

 found rather difficult to flower in some collections, but it 

 blooms every year if the plant is strong, producing one large 

 flower from a sheath at the top of the bulb. 



B. lineata. — The present plant is too much neglected by 

 Orchid-growers. The leaves are long, terete, channelled above, 

 tapering to a point, and of a very deep green. The flowers 

 are large and very fragrant ; sepals and petals creamy white ; 

 hp large, pure white. It is a pendulous plant, and requires to 

 be grown on a block, in the Cattleya house. 



B. venosa. — ^A pretty free-flowering species from Central 

 America, small and compact, with white flowers, which are 

 produced at difierent times of the year. It grows best on a 

 block suspended from the roof. 



Bbassia. 

 This genus is nearly allied to Oncidhan, differing partly in the 

 very much elongated sepals. Some of them are dull-coloured, 

 so that the genus is not in great repute with Orchid-growers, 

 but there are a few kinds that are showy, free-flowering, and 

 last a long time in bloom, and ought to be in every collection. 

 All have dark-green pseudobulbs, and evergreen foliage a foot 

 or more in length. They are plants of easy culture, and will 

 do either in the East Indian or Cattleya house. The flowers are 



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