Sio ORCHIDS 



Zygopetalum. 



Culture. — Although all the kinds are epiph)'tal in a state 

 of nature, they thrive and flower better when gro«'n in pots 

 than when cultivated on blocks or in baskets. They require 

 plenty of moisture at all times, and a rich, well-drained 

 peat-soil, such as suits the Odontoglossums. The tempera- 

 ture of a warm greenhouse suits the robust-growing species; 

 while stove-house treatment is better for Z. rostratimi and 

 those formerly known as Proinencea, Pescatorca and 

 ]]'a?-Sccii'iiZ€lla. Here, also, leaf-soil and rough sand should 

 be substituted for the peat, surfaced at the top with a 

 la)'er of roughly-chopped living sphagnum. 



Z. Burkei (Rihb. f.) — Flowers about 2iin. across; sepals and 

 petals green, with longitudinal interrupted, or continuous lines of 

 chocolate-brown, the apices olten being suffused with the same 

 colour ; lip white, with a fleshy crest, ribbed with violet-purple. 

 Pseudo-bulbs nearly tetragonous, shining, very thick. Demerara, 

 1883. 



Z. Burtii {Bate in.). — This most attractive species is better 

 known as a Bateinainiia. Flowers 3in. to 4in. in diameter, all 

 the segments more or less fleshy ; sepals and petals sub-equal, 

 obovate-oblong, acute, white at the base, then yellow, the apical 

 half red-brown, with some yellow spots ; petals with some criinson- 

 purple streaks at the base ; lip clawed, narrowly elliptic - oblong, 

 acute, reflexed, the basal half white, the apical half red-brown ; 

 crest a semicircular white plate, fringed with long, narrow, light 

 purple incurved teeth. Column triquetral, winged and hooded, 

 with the margin jagged, pale green, and a purple spot on each 

 side of the stigma. Costa Rica. 



Z. cerinum {RcJih. /.). — A charming species, with tufted, 

 oblong, pointed leaves, from loin. to i2in. long, and basal 

 flower-stems, each of which is about 6in. long, and bears a flower 

 about 3in. in diameter. The rounded, oblong sepals are con 

 cave, fleshy, and straw-coloured, the upper one, as well as the 

 similarly-shaped but smaller petals, being paler. The lip is 

 yellow, with a thick, semicircular crest on the centre, and a 

 contracted base. The column is short and club-shaped, some- 

 times deep purple near the base. This species flowers at difl'erent 

 periods, and remains long in beauty. It was introduced, in 

 1 85 1, from Chiriqui, where it grows at an altitude of 8000ft. 

 Syns. Huntleya ceriiia and Pcscatorea cerina. (B. M., t. SS98.) 



Z. coeleste {Rclib. f.).—\ bright and distinctly coloured 

 species, well worth cultivating on account of its unusual tints, 



