416 orchid-grower's manual. 



G. SEEGERIANUM — See G. Measubesianum. 



G. SPECIOSUM, Blume.—A. magnificent Orchid with the habit of a Oyrio- 

 podium, and of which it has been remarked, that it richly merits the title of the 

 Queen of the Orchidaceous Plants. It has erect clustered terete compressed 

 stems, 5 to 10 feet high, having a few large appressed scales below, and clothed 

 in the upper part with distichous sheathing lorate leaves, Ij to 2 feet long, and 

 dilated at the base ; the scape issues from the base of the stem, is as thick as 

 one's finger, and grows 5 to 6 feet high ; the flowers measure nearly 6 inches 

 across, and are of a deep yellow thickly spotted with reddish-brown, the sepal 

 and petals being broadly oblong and blunt-ended, the small three-lobed lij) 

 yellow streaked with brownish-red, the disk sulcate with three raised plates, and 

 the red lines of the front lobe bristling with short hair. It blooms at different 

 times of the year, and will last a long time in perfection if the flowers are kept 

 dry. — Java; Lampong ; Malacca; Singapore; Gochin China. 



Fig. — J3ot. J/ag.,t. 5157 ; Flore des Serves, t. 1386; Batem. Second Cent. Orcli . 

 PI., t. 181 ; -Pascton Fl. 6ard., ii, t. 69 ; Lem. Jard. Fl., t. 235 ; Bluiiie, liijdr., p. 377, 

 tabell. 20 ; Id., Rumph., iv. t. 191 ; Oard. Chron., K.S., x. p. 181, f . 36 ; Id., Srd ser., 1890, 

 vii. p. 296, f. 46. 



HABENARIA, WilU. 



(Triie Ophrydeae, suMrihe Gymnadenieae.) 

 A genus containing several remarkably handsome species of tuberous- 

 rooted, terrestrial Orchids. The numerous kinds are widely distributed, 

 but the greater number occur in the East Indies, Africa, and various 

 parts of Europe, some few being recorded as natives of Britain, where 

 they are known by the name of the "Butterfly Orchis." The various 

 species resemble one another very much in habit of growth, but 

 they differ in colour and in the length of the spur, some of them 

 being very fragrant. White is the prevailing colour, many of them are 

 green, and there are a goodly number some shades of yellow, whilst 

 others are rose-coloured, and some brilliant scarlet. 



Culture. — -These plants, from whatever country they come, are all 

 tuberous-rooted, and their stems die down annually. When this occurs, 

 they must be rested quietly and thoroughly. This is best done by 

 lowering the temperature and withholding the water almost entirely, 

 but never allow them to become dust dry, for this pi'actice has done 

 more to destroy the roots of these terrestrial kinds than any one thing. 

 Take as an example our own native species ; they are resting through 

 the winter months, and it is quite understood that these plants never 

 become dry through the whole winter, therefore keep the exotic kinds 

 just moist and in a low temperature. 



