1 62 ORCHIDS 



Cypripedium. 



soil sweet and open. The flowers are developed in March. 

 Philippine Islands, 1873. (B. M., t. 6296.) 



C. hirsutissimum {Lindl.). — One of the most distinct and 

 attractive species, flowering freely under ordinary treatment. It 

 has green, strap-shaped leaves, about gin. or ift. long, and scapes 

 of the same length, bearing solitary flowers, which are very 

 large, measuring at least 6in. across. The dorsal sepal is large, 

 heart-shaped, reddish-purple, with a margin of clear green ; lower 

 sepal small, same colour ; the back is densely covered with soft, 

 blackish hairs ; petals large, broad, tongue-shaped, twisted, hairy 

 along the margins, narrowed and wavy at the base, deep purple 

 and green ; the pouch is large, helmet-shaped, deep green, shaded 

 with purple. The flowers are produced freely in March or April, 

 and they remain good on the plant for at least six weeks. This 

 is one of the choicest of stove species. Assam, ^c, 1S57. (B. M., 

 t. 4990-) 



C. Hookeras {Rclih. /). — For the beauty of its foliage alone, 

 this species deserves favour, whilst the flowers are not wanting 

 in interest. The leaves are 6in. long, broad and obtuse, deep 

 black-green, beautifully variegated with irregular blotches of 

 creamy-yellow ; the scapes are long, and one-flowered ; the sepals 

 and petals are yellowish-brown, the points of the latter being of 

 a rich ro.sy-purple ; the pouch is somewhat small, dark green, 

 suffused with chocolate. It blossoms during the summer months. 

 Borneo, 1S62. This species was named in compliment to the 

 late Lady Hooker. (B. M., t. 5362.) 



C. insig-ne ( J-Fi?//.).— One of the best known of all exotic 

 Orchids, and also one of the easiest to cultivate. It was 

 introduced, along with C. ■veiiiisfinii, many years before any other 

 species, and it still remains a useful and a handsome garden plant. 

 It may be cultivated in a greenhouse, along with Geraniums. 

 The leaves are about gin. long, green; the scapes are ift. high, 

 and bear a single flower 4in. across, and shining as if varnished; 

 dorsal sepal large, oval, the apex bent forward, apple-green, 

 with dull purple spots, and a white margin ; lower sepal small, 

 pale green ; petals broad, spreading, wavy, pale green, with 

 purple longitudinal lines ; lip green and brown, paler near the 

 mouth. It blossoms in December and January, the flowers 

 lasting fully a month. Sylhet, 1820. 



There are upw-ards of forty named varieties of this species, but not 

 one-fourth of them are really distinct. The following are the best. 



Var. Chaiitini has the dorsal sepal pure white on the 

 apical half, with spots of a rich purple ; petals with amber 

 veins; pouch reddish-brown. Syn. var. /^/wr/;?///;;/ viohueum. 



