326 ORCHIDS 



Microstylis. 



bearing its erect spikes of glistening flowers, is a pretty little 

 picture. Borneo, 1881. (Fig. 100.) 



M. discolor {LindL). — Sir W. Hooker described this as the 

 most lovely of terrestrial Orchids. The stems are clustered, 2in. 

 long, green, inclosed in the sheathing bases of the leaves. The 

 leaves are 4in. long, ovate, plaited, deep shining crimson-purple, 

 the margins being pale green and very wavy. The flowers are 

 yellow. Grown along with Ancectochili this plant thrives well, 

 and is a pretty object. Ceylon, 1862. (B. M., t. 5403.) 



M. metallica {Rchb. f.). — A charming little plant, easily kept 

 in health, and almost always attractive. It is, as the late Professor 

 Reichenbach called it, quite a gem. A cylindrical bulb bears 

 leaves of an oblong, acute shape, 2in. long, lin. wide, six in 

 number. They are rosy-crimson beneath, and blackish-purple 

 above, with quite an exquisite metallic lustre. The flowers are 

 small, purplish in colour. Borneo, 1879. (B. M., t. 6668.) 



MILTONIA. 



Not more than a dozen well-marked species are comprised 

 in this genus, of the tribe J^andece, founded by Lindley. 

 All of them show considerable variation in the size and 

 colouring of the flowers. JVEost of them are in cultivation, as 

 they are easy to grow, and, with scarcely an exception, bear 

 large and handsome flowers. All are natives of Brazil, 

 except M. ]]'arscewic;:ii, M. vexillaria, M. Plialtxnopsis, and 

 AI. Roezlii, which are natives of Colombia. The g"enus 

 was named in compliment to Lord FitzwilHam (Viscount 

 Milton), who, more than half a century ago, had one of the 

 best collections of Orchids then known. 



Miltonias are related to Odontoglossums. They either 

 have long, stout, creeping rhizomes, upon which the 

 pseudo-bulbs occur about I in. apart, or the pseudo-bulbs 

 are clustered. The leaves vary in number from four to 

 eight, all except two springing from the bottom of the 

 pseudo-bulb, their sheathing bases inclosing it when young. 

 There are generally two lea\-es on the apex of the 

 pseudo-bulb, and these are strap-shaped or linear, smooth, 

 shining green, the keel on the under side being prominent. 

 As a rule, the leaves, when they are two years old, 

 fall away from the pseudo-bulbs. The flowers are borne 

 on scapes that spring from the base of the last-matured 



