Orchid Names 



so that all nations may understand. As a matter 

 of fact no nation understands, and very few 

 individuals. Under that grotesque assumption, 

 however, we are burdened with a genus called 

 " Teeth-tongue " (Odontoglossum), " A tumour " 

 (Oncidium), " Insects' jaws " (Maxillaria). And 

 what do these terms describe ? One must have an 

 anatomical report, minutely detailed too, to see 

 where the point comes in. But the early orchid- 

 growers are not blameless — those noblemen and 

 wealthy persons who might have given a new 

 genus which reached their hands an easy, pleasant 

 name, before consigning it to the savants. 



At the present time the evil is arrested in some 

 measure. Owners who pay respect to the injunctions 

 of the Orchid Committee name hybrids or new 

 varieties after a person or place, or some character 

 in ancient history or mythology. But for the 

 mischief done there is no remedy. 



Once on a time I was looking at a fine plant of 

 Oncidium vyaiflorum, in company with an official, at 

 Kew. Not a spike there but had two flowers ! " If 

 you called that plant uniflorum," I said, " by some 

 mischance, surely you might have corrected the 

 error before this. It is not only absurd, but mis- 

 leading." 



"My dear fellow," the pundit replied, "if you 



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