Masdevallia 



sepals these spring uot from the tip but from the 

 sides — an eccentricity beyond comprehension. 

 Summer. New Granada. 1876. (G-em.) 



Trochilus. — Synonym for Colihri. 



Vcitcliii. — Largest of all the red species, and in- 

 comparably most striking. The flowers are little 

 less than four inches across, of the liveliest orauge- 

 scarlet, with darker veins. Nature has no tint 

 more showy, yet it is soft as velvet. The history 

 of the plant is fascinating. Mr. Pearce brought it 

 to his employers, Messrs. Veitch, from Peru, in 

 1869, but he did not reveal the habitat. Mr. 

 William Bull engaged liim to return and make a 

 fresh consignment ; but by some chance he was 

 detained at Panama, and he could not resist the 

 temptation to employ his leisure in a search for 

 Cjipripedium ■planifolvuvi — a fine species dwelling 

 in those parts, which has never been secured alive. 

 Mr. Pearce failed, like others — worse, for he caught 

 the swamp-fever. The Indians carried him back 

 to Panama, and there he died. The secret of Mas. 

 Veitdlii perished with him. Every collector visit- 

 ing: Peru has tried to recover it, and natives in 

 abundance have been inquiring ever since, but 

 without avail. Like most of the genus, however, 

 it propagates freely, and plants may be obtained 

 at a very reasonable cost. They flower generally 



145 L 



