ORCHIDS. 



69 



P. fragrans. — Pseudo-lmlbs oblong, compressed, 

 bearing a single leaf, the whole being about a foot 

 high, and dark green. Peduncle pendulous, about 

 as long as the growth, bearing a raceme of four or 

 five flowers, which are delicately fragrant. Sepals 

 and petals long and narrow, more or less twisted, 

 greenish-white. Lip large, spreading in front, the 

 basal part rolled 

 over and enclos- 

 ing the column, 

 pure white, with 

 a stain of orange- 

 yellow at the base. 

 Winter months. 

 Popayan. 



P. noiilis. — In 

 this species the 

 growth is more 

 robust, and the 

 flowers are much 

 larger in all their 

 parts and very 

 fragrant. Lip 

 large, pure white, 

 bearing a large 

 deep orange spot 

 on the disc. Win- 

 ter months. Peru. 



Pleione. — A 

 genus of dwarf 

 deciduous Orchids 

 distinguished 

 from Cceloffyne, 

 perhaps, more by 

 their habit than 

 anything else, and 

 dedicated to the 

 Grreek Pleione, a 

 water-nymph, in 

 all probability on 

 account of their 

 extreme beauty. 

 By the best au- 

 thorities, however, Pleione is now included under 

 Caelogyne. Naturally Pleiones clothe the rocks and 

 stems of the forest trees with a rich garland of colours, 

 and in such places the want of foliage is not felt to be 

 a drawback, although it is sometimes urged against 

 their cultivation ; but this can be obviated in a very 

 easy manner by planting a small Fern or other plant 

 in their centre before the flowers open. These plants 

 should be potted in loam, peat, leaf-mould, and 

 sphagnum, in about equal parts, the pots should be 

 drained well, and the pseudo-bulbs not elevated 

 above the rim. When making their growth, keep 



them in the warm house, and supply liberally with 

 water, but do not allow any to stagnate about them. 

 When the thin plaited leaves which have been so 

 brilliantly green are mature, they wiU soon show signs 

 of decay, and this will be the time to lower the tem- 

 perature, and put them upon a short supply of water, 

 but do not entirely stop it until the loaves are all off ; 



when this occurs 

 keep them dry 

 until the flowers 

 begin to show 

 themselves. East 

 Indian House 

 while growing, 

 cool end of Bra- 

 zilian House 

 when at rest and 

 flowering. 



P. humilis.. — 

 This plant, like 

 all the alpine 

 members of the 

 genus, sheds its 

 leaves before 

 flowering. Pseu- 

 do - bulbs flask - 

 ' shajjed, about two 

 inches high, and 

 a dark purplish- 

 green. Peduncle 

 one - flowered, 

 rising above the 

 pseudo-bulbs, and 

 some three inches 

 across. Sepals 

 and petals white, 

 tinged with pale 

 rose in some 

 forms. Lip con- 

 volute, spreading 

 in front, where it 

 is deeply fringed, 

 white on the out- 

 side, streaked and 

 spotted with crimson and brown, and ornamented 

 throughout with six fringed parallel veins. Winter 

 months. Northern India, at 7,000 to 8,000 feet ele- 

 vation. 



P. humilis, var. ictcoZor. — Pseudo-bulbs ovate, 

 ribbed, dark green. Peduncle supporting one large 

 flower. Sepals and petals soft rose. Lip fringed 

 at the margin, and ornamented with fringed raised 

 veins, white outside, pale yellow within. Winter 

 months. Northern India. 



P. %eM«ria.— Pseudo-bulbs bottle-shaped, with a 

 flattened top like the lid of a pufi-box, deep green, 



EOLLIBSOlfll. 



