CATASETUM; 



14£ 



C. PURPUREA, Lindley.—A beautiful upright-growing plant, with distichous 

 oblong-linear emarginate leaves three or four inches long. It produces its flower 

 spikes, which are about eight inches long and many-flowered, from the side of 

 the stem ; the blossoms arc pale rose-coloured, the lip being of a deeper rosy 

 crimson, and they appear from 

 March to May, lasting two or 

 three weeks in beauty. A fine 

 specimen of this species was 

 shown at Chiswick and Re- 

 gent's Park Exhibitions in 

 18S0. This single plant, on 

 which there were more than a 

 hundred spikes of flowers, was 

 exhibited by the late R. S. 

 Holford, Esq., Tetbury, Glou- 

 cestershire. It is to be re- 

 gretted that we do not see this 

 plant so well cultivated as it 

 was some few years ago, for it 

 is a fine object when grown 

 like Mr. Holford's plant. — 

 India : Sylhet, Eliasya. 



Fia.—Zindl. Sc'i-t. Orch.. t. 19 ; 

 J'a.rtuii,Ma{/.Bot.Yn.,25,withtah. ■ OAMAKOTis PURPUREA. 



CATASETUM, L. C. Richard. 



(Tribe Vandeae, sxthtribn Stanhopieae.) 



A genus of very remarkable OrcMcls, with short stem-like pseudo- 

 bulbs, large plicate leaves, and erect or pendulous spikes of quaint- 

 looking polygamo-trimorphous flowers, often large, but seldom very 

 attractive in character. There are nearly forty known species from 

 Tropical America and Mexico, many of which are in cultivation, but 

 they can scarcely be regarded as favourites with Orchid-growers. The 

 separation of the sexes gives rise to flowers which have been taken to 

 belong to totally distinct genera, e.cj., MonacJianthus and Mijanihus. 



Culture. — The Catasetums thrive best in the Gattleya house. They 

 should be potted in a compost of peat with good drainage, and we have 

 found them succeed best in baskets suspended from the roof. They 

 should not receive too much water when growing, and when the growth 

 is complete just sufficient should be given to keep them from shrivelling., 



C. ATRATUNI, Lindley. — This interesting species bears a long curved raceme 

 of flowers with ovate acute sepals and petals. Flowers green outside, shaded 



10 



