144 ORCHIDS 



Cyphpedium. 



habitat of C. Fairieaiutui, but to no purpose. One of our 

 principal importers has gone so far as to offer i^iooo for 

 the information that w\\\ lead to its re-discovery. We have 

 no doubt that there are others who would be onl}' too 

 glad to supplement this amount for the same information. 

 C. Fairieaituin has helped to produce man}' interesting 

 hybrids (see Fig. 42). 



The Selenipediums of South America are also consider- 

 abl}' localised. i~. Boissieriainiiii is one of the rarest and 

 most beautiful among them. It was originally discovered 

 by two Spanish botanists, Ruiz and Pa\'on, between the 

 years 1778-89, who procured herbarium specimens. It 

 was found again by William Lobb, tra\elling for Veitch 

 during the period 1842-7. Its first introduction to British 

 gardens was, however, made through Mr. Walter Davis, who 

 found it (unknown to himself at the time) with JJ. caiidatum 

 in one of the valleys of the Andes of Peru, while collecting 

 for Messrs. Veitch, in 1875-6. A single plant only of 

 Jb". Boissierianuin survived the voyage. It appears to have 

 been easily propagated at first, but has now become 

 practically extinct. Others are also remarkably localised, 

 and the se\'eral species appear onl}' on limited areas. 



The hard}' Cypripediums also abundantly demonstrate 

 that amongst them, too, the process of extinction 

 is in progress. Our native C. Ca/ccohis, as before 

 mentioned, has become virtually extinct in this country ; 

 but owing to its extensive distribution over Central Europe, 

 it is still comparativel}^ plentiful in places, ^hile in 

 others it is visib!}' }'ielding ground to the pressure of 

 cultivation and the presence of a dense population. 

 These remarks also a.pply to the Japanese, and to 

 the majorit}' of the North American species. 



The true cause of the gradual extinction of the various 

 species ma}' probabl}' be found in the reproductive organs 

 of the flowers. A very close examination of these will 

 quickl}' satisfy the most exacting observers that self-fertili- 

 sation is well-nigh impossible. The sexual apparatus is so 

 constructed that it would be difficult to find an insect 

 capable of effecting the necessary fertilisation b}' which the 

 perpetuation of the plant b}' seeds is possible. In the 

 future, therefore, it must be practicall}' left to artificial fer- 

 tilisation to pro\-ide striking de\-elopments and variations. 



