484 orchip-gkower's manual. 



rose-purple, the lateral sepals rosy-purple at base, shading off into bright lilac- 

 purple above ; tails deep dull yellow ; petals white ; lip and face of column 

 white, with numerous minute lilac spots ; apex of column maroon-purple, also a 

 minute spot of same colour at apex of lip " {Gardeners' Chronicle, 3rd ser., 1889, 

 V. p. 714). 



M. CHELSONI, Mclih.f. — This was, we believe, the first hybrid Masdevallia 

 that has been raised in this country; it is said to be a cross between 

 M. Veitchiana and M. amalilia. The flowers resemble those of M. Veitchiana 

 in form, but are considerably smaller and duller in colour ; the segments of 

 the perianth are orange, the lower ones being covered by a large number of 

 small excrescences of a bright mauve colour; these take the form of two broad 

 stripes, and give the surface a somewhat hairy appearance. We saw a fine 

 plant of this in the possession of W. Lee, Esq., Downside, Leatherhead, who 

 had a grand collection of these gems. It blossoms in September and October. 

 — Garden hybrid. 



M. CHESTERTONI, Bchh. f. — A curious aud interesting species, collected 

 by the late Mr. Chesterton. It is described as follows : — " Sepals strictly 

 ovate, having abrupt tails of equal length, covered and bordered with very 

 small, very numerous, acute black warts, greenish sulphur-coloured, with black 

 tails, black border, and numerous black spots ; lips transversely reniform, with 

 two trapezoid low valves on the stalk, covered with radiating keeled veins, 

 ochre and reddish; column arched, ochre, with a few brownish-red spots" 

 {Gardeners' Chronicle, N.S., 1883, xix. p. 532). iPlowers in July. — Aniioquia, 

 V. S. of Colombia. 



'Sia.—Sot. Mag., t. C977 ; Wooluiard's Masd., i. t. 3. 



M. CHIMAERA, Bchh. f. — Great are the beauties of this truly wonderful 

 Orchid. The plants that were first distributed for it have proved to be quite 

 a distinct thing, now known as M. nycterina. It is of tufted growth, as are 

 most of the species, the leaves being 6 to 9 inches high, cuneate oblong acute, 

 narrowed to and sheathing at the base ; the scapes bear each a solitary much 

 expanded flower, of which the three sepals are but slightly connate at the base, 

 triangular, with the ends drawn out into long slender tails, which are of great 

 length, as a glance at our illustration will show, pale ochraceous yellow, with 

 numerous purple-violet spots, the margin densely fimbriate, and the whole 

 inner surface hispid, the tails of a deep violet-purple colour; the petals are 

 cuneate oblong, slit at their apex into four wings containing in their centre a 

 great warty body ; the lip is slipper-shaped with the edges denticulate. This 

 species, with its allies that have drooping flowers, should be grown in baskets 

 suspended from the roof of the house. — New Grenada. 



Fig. — Xeiiin Orel)., ii. 1. 185 ; Id., 1. 186, f. 1 ; Flm-ist and Pomol., 1873, p. 2, with fip. ; 

 Puydt. Les Orch., t. 23 ; Revue Ilort. Beige, 1K8.5, p. 97 (plate) ; Orchid Album, v. t. 203 ; 

 ReichenbacUa, 1. t. 19 ; Veiteh's Man. Orch. PL, v. p. 27 ; Oartenflora, 1889, t. 1311. 



M. CHIMAERA BACKHOUSIANA, iJc7i6. /.— This plant is very closely allied 

 to M. Chimaera, and wo agree with those who consider it to be a variety of 

 that species. Eeichenbach says it is coloured like the well-known M. Wallisii 



