AXD THE IK MAXAGEMHXT. 



Masdeuallia 

 reddish-ner\ed ; petals with very peculiar dilated ajiices ; lip deep 

 violet, bearded: peduncles hispid, two-flowered. C'o'ombia, 1S75. 



M. Nycterina (Rc/d'. /.). — For some time this \ery interest- 

 ing species was cultivated as the true M. C/iiiii,.:ra, a much 

 larger and showier plant. J/. XycfLri/ui has lea\"es about Gin. 

 long, channelled, broad almost to the base, which is sheathed. 

 The scape is pendent, or rests on the ground, 3in. long, one- 

 flowered ; the flowers are triangular in outline, the sepals 

 being equal in size, joined b\" their lower edges, each narro\ved 

 to a point, from which springs a thin tail, 3in. long ; the body 

 of the flower measures im. by iliin.; the inner surface is 

 covered with soft hair : colour tawny-yellow, shaded with brown 

 and thickly spotted with purple ; the petals are small and 

 pouched, with jagged edges, whitish. This plant should be 

 grown along with J/. Cliinucra. Although smaller-flowered, it 

 possesses all the curiosity of form and coloin- of that species. 

 Colombia, 18.73. (t- ^^-i ser. ii., t. 150.) 



M. polysticta {Hook. f.). — A s)nonym of M.' mclojufus. 



M. racemosa (Li/idl.). — ^^'hen well grown this is an attractive 

 species. The stems are creeping, longer than in an}- other kind. 

 The leaves are 4in. long, spoon-shaped, with thin petioles, the 

 blade being ^in. across, flesh)', dark green. 'I'he flowers are liorne 

 on long, branching racemes, as many as twenty on a raceme 

 being shown by a dried specimen : howe\-er, about six flowers 

 on a raceme are the most yet produced by cultivated plants. 

 They are erect, lin. across ; the tube is narrow, ;jin. long ; the odd 

 sepal is iin. long, pointed ; the pair of sepals is united almost 

 to the base, the free portions curving outwards so as to form 

 a wide, two-lobed blade ; colour brilliant orange, wjth dark red 

 lines. This species requires cool treatment all the year round, 

 and should be grown on a raft or in a basket. Although 

 described by Lindley as early as 1S39, it was only introduced 

 from Colombia in 1883 h\ Messrs. Shuttleworth and Carder. 

 (G. C, 1884, p. 737-) 



M. Reichenbachiana (Endr.). — I'lowers 2 in. long ; the 

 funnel-shaped tube and slender tails are whitish-yellow, with the 

 back blood red. Leaves spathulate, narrowed towards the base, 

 tridentate at apex. Costa Rica, 1875. 



Var. aurantiaca. — This has rich orange lateral sepals instead of 

 purple-brown ones. 



M. Roezlii {RcldK /).— A variety of J/. Chiniccra. 



M. rosea (Lindl.). — One of the prettiest of all lMasde\'allias, 

 and when properly managed a most profuse flowerer. It has 



