THE MOST USEFUL ORCHIDS 93 



purple base to the lip. D. s. anosmum is practically odourless, and 

 smaller than the type, whereas D. s. giganteum is larger. 



D. THYRSIFLORUM is a splendid evergreen species growing 

 about two feet high and flowering in Spring or early Summer. 

 It is very like D. densijlorum in habit and carries its white, 

 golden-lipped flowers in considerable numbers on pendulous 

 racemes. It is a very fine plant and for exhibition purposes is 

 quite popular. It comes from Burmah and has been in cultivation 

 since 1864. 



D. Wardianum runs 2). nobile closely in point of popularity, 

 and it is in every way a fine Orchid when carrying its large white 

 flowers, every segment tipped with deep amethyst-purple, and the 

 broad lip similarly coloured but with a broad, yellow, maroon- 

 blotched base. This species has a fairly wide range through 

 Assam, Burmah, and Indo-China, and for many years it has been 

 imported in large quantities and grown extensively, as its lovely 

 flowers are valuable for bouquets, personal wear, and for other floral 

 purposes. A few flow^ering plants make a brave show in a warm 

 conservatory in the Spring, and visitors to early flower shows will 

 be quite familiar with the species. The growths vary a good deal 

 and may be from eighteen inches to three feet in length, and 

 though these are distinctly pendulous it is the general custom to 

 stake them upright in cultivation. The growths are stout, with 

 prominent nodes, and the leaves are deciduous. The flowers are 

 often four inches across and are borne in twos or threes along the 

 stems. One fine feature of the flowers of D. Wardianum is that 

 their wax-like texture enables them to last a long time in per- 

 fection. On the other hand, this species has one great weakness 

 from a cultivator's point of view ; it often commences to make 

 new growth late in the season when the growth made in the 

 Spring and early Summer is complete and needs to be ripened. 



