3oS 



ORCHIDS 



Masdeuallia. 



at the base. The flowers are borne singl)- on decumbent scapes 

 3in. long. The sejials are united, and form a bell-like limb, 

 :iin. across and T,in. deep, white, with a purplish zone and a 

 yellow base; the tails are lin. long, spreading, yellow; the 

 ,, inside of the bell is covered with short fer- 



ruginous hairs. The petals and lip are small 

 and white. The flowers are nodding and 

 graceful ; they are developed in June, and 

 last about a fortnight. The plant requires 

 the same treatment as J\f. C/iiiiucm. From 

 the e.vceptional colour and form of its flowers, 

 this little species deserves to be included in 

 all good collections. Colombia, 1883. (B. M., 

 t. 7125.) 



M. caudata {Lindi). — The prettiest and 

 largest-flowered of the smaller species of 

 MasJcvallia. It has 



spoon-shaped leaves, sel- 

 dom exceeding 4in. in 

 length and lin. in width, 

 the lower half narrowed 

 to a stalk. The scape 

 is 5in. long, erect, one- 

 flowered ; the flowers are 

 very large for the size of 

 the plant (i.Un. across, 

 not measuring the tails) ; 

 sepals united at the base, 

 and forming a shallow 

 cup, then spreading, the 

 upper one the largest, 

 concave, o\'ate, lin. long, 

 yellowish-red,' with nume- 

 rous deep red dots and 

 parallel, red nerves ; lower 

 sepals spreading and de- 

 curved, ovate, lin. long, 

 deep rose-coloured, with 

 numerous red dots ; tails 



Fig. 94. JlASDKv,\Lr,[.\ c.viuata 



(5 nat. sUc). 



2in. to 3in. long, curved. 



the upper half )-ellow, the 

 lower half green ; li[, and petals verv small. This species 

 IS one of the most popular of all Masdevallias. It blos- 

 so^ms freel)- in spring,^ and remains in beauty several weeks. 



of it, and the colours vary 



There are several forms 



