AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 515 



Zygopetalum. 



on the sepals and petals more nearly approach violet, the lip also 

 being violet. Reported to be a native of Ecuador. Syn. Fescatorca 

 Lehmannl. (Fig. 173, for which we are indebted to the Editor 

 of the ''Gardeners' Chronicle.'') 



Z. Mackaii {Hook.).—i:\\t general character of this pilant 

 is described under Z inta-iitcdiiiiu. The flowers are smaller 

 than in Z. intermedium, the sepals and petals being pale in 

 colour, the lip smaller and quite glabrous, whilst the radiating, 

 vein-like lines are coloured deep blue : the crest, also, is two- 

 lobed. So far as we can learn, the true Z Mackaii is very 

 rare in cultivation ; it is, however, so very similar to the 

 commoner Z interi/iediiim and Z crinitiim that, except for 

 botanic collections, the one may do duty for the other — 

 as, indeed, they frequently do. Brazil, 1827. (Fig. 174; 

 B. M., t. 274S.) ■ ' 



Z. maxillare {Lodd.). — An old garden favourite, known as 

 the Tree-fern Orchid, from the fact that it is commonly found 

 growing wild upon the stems of tree-ferns, and is often imported 

 with them. ^^'e have seen some fine examples of it growing 

 upon living tree-ferns in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris, the effect 

 produced by its richly-coloured flowers against the brown scales 

 of the fern-stem being particularly good. The rhizome is stout, 

 creeping, and bears ovate pseudo-bulbs 2 in. long, each -with two 

 or three leaves ift. long, lin. broad, with conspicuous nerves. 

 The scape springs from the base of the ripe pseudo-bulb, and 

 is gin. long, with from six to eight flowers, each i^in. across ; 

 sepals lin. long; petals the same length, but narrower; they are 

 green, with large blotches of brown. The lip is nearly circular, 

 a little more than lin. wide, and coloured purplish-blue, the 

 large, ruft'-like crest being ^in. deep, and dark purple in colour. 

 This species blossoms in winter, and remains in beauty for 

 about six weeks. It requires intermediate-house treatment, and 

 plenty of water always, and should be planted on a raft or block 

 of fern-stem. Brazil, 1S44. (B. M., t. 3686.) 



Z. Meleagris (Lindl.). — A rather scarce but very handsome 

 and interesting species, with broadly lance-shaped leaves, ift. in 

 length, arranged in opposite rows. The peduncles spring from 

 the axils of the leaves, and each bears a solitary flower, 3in. or 

 4in. across. The sepals and petals are similar in shape, broad 

 at the base, their colour being pale yellow, changing in the upper 

 half to purplish-brown. The lip is about half as large as the 

 petals, and is white at the base and purplish-brown in front ; 

 there is a curious crescent-shaped fringe of stiff, yellow hairs in 

 the throat. This species flowers at midsummer, and is a native 



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