AND THEIR MANAGEBIENT. 453 



Schomburghia. 

 with spreading, undulated sepals and petals, and a three- 

 lobed lip, the side lobes of which are more or less in- 

 curved. Some of the species are extremely beautiful — 

 notabl}', the finest form of 5. tibici)iis. 



Culture. — Unfortunately, Schomburgkias do not flower 

 with freedom under cultivation. We should not, therefore, 

 recommend them to the amateur until he has had some 

 practice in the management of more easilj'-flowered Orchids. 

 They are found to thrive best when grown in pots half-filled 

 wiXh drainage, in a compost of fibrous peat and sphagnum. 

 During the period of most active growth they may be 

 placed in the hottest house, giving them, at that time, 

 abundance of water at the roots. When the pseudo-bulbs 

 attain their full size, the plants should be removed to the 

 intermediate-house to ripen off, and the supply of water be 

 graduall)- reduced, finally withholding it altogether. Grow- 

 ing most frequently on the upper branches of trees, fully 

 exposed to the tropical sun, these plants require but little 

 shade. During summer it is convenient to give them a 

 place adjoining the Dendrobiums, and in winter one near 

 the Cattleyas. They may also be grown on large blocks : 

 the preceding method, however, is a preferable one. 



S. carinata ((?/-/jY<^.). — A synonym of .S*. Lyonsii. 



S. Lyonsii (Zi/id/.). — An easily-grown, interesting, and handsome 

 species. The pseudo-bulbs are fusiform, about ift. high, and 

 bear at the top two or three linear-oblong, leathery leaves. The 

 racemes are erect, and bear from twelve to twenty-five flowers, 

 each 2in. across ; the sepals and petals are lance-shaped, white, 

 with several rows of purple dots and lines ; the lip is recurved at 

 the apex, white, brownish-yellow at the margin, the disk having 

 several elevated, longitudinal lines, spotted with purple. This is 

 a native of Jamaica, where it grows on the branches of trees, and 

 on rocks exposed to the full sun. A notable character of the 

 flowers is their habit of self-fertilisation — an unusual occurrence 

 amongst Orchids. The anther-cells open shortly after the expan- 

 sion of the flower, thereby allowing the first wind to shake out the 

 pollen-masses upon the viscid stigma. Introduced in 1853. The 

 flowers are produced in August. Syn. S. carinata. (B. M., t. 5172.) 



S. Thomsoniana {Rclib. /). — The tapering pseudo-bulbs of 

 this lovely species are similar to those of 6". tibicinis, but dwarfer. 

 The sepals are strap-shaped, somewhat wavy, light yellow ; the 

 petals are pale sulphur-yellow, with purple streaks on the outside; 



