474 THE ORCHID REVIEW. (Jury, 1916. 
fees | DISA GRANDIFLORA AT HOME. bey 
@ OME interesting information respecting this beautiful Cape Orchid is 
given in the fourth volume of Dr. R. Marloth’s Flora of South Africa 
(pp. 93-95), under its earlier but inappropriate name of D. uniflora, 
together with a fine coloured plate, and a photographic illustration showing 
the plant growing on Table Mountain, at 2,800 feet elevation, on the banks 
-of a rivulet among heaths and Restiaceew. It is remarked that this beautiful 
plant well deserved its epithet of “‘ Pride of Table Mountain,’ and that the 
figure cannot give an adequate idea of it gorgeous colouring and beauty, 
which, in fact, can be fully apprectated only,when seeing the blooms on a 
-cliff, just touched by the early sun, or on the banks of a murmuring 
brook whose clear waters reflect their glory— 
“ Here the great Disas, hovering o’er the springs, 
; Ss,” 
Gaze with delight upon their crimson wing 
The couplet is cited from “ Table Mountain,” by A. Vine Hall, and reveals 
-an astonishing amount of poetic license. 
The species is said to be fairly frequent on the mountains of the south- 
western districts, from the Cederbegen to George, growing on the banks of 
streams and on permanently moist cliffs, flowering from January to March. 
Asa rule the propagation is vegetative, every full-grown plant producing 
one large and several smaller tubers by means of offsets, which at first look 
like roots. These regulate the position of the plant with regard to the 
water level of the stream near which it grows, the new tuber being formed 
-either near the old one, when this finds the water supply during the summer 
just suitable, or lower down when the soil has become too dry during the 
‘growing season, or higher up if the spot has become permanently submerged. 
The plants do not mind an occasional immersion in water on the banks of 
-streams, but do not grow in water or in swamps. 
It has been stated that the plant never bears fruit, owing to the probable 
-extinction of the insect which once assisted in the fertilisation of the flowers, 
but this is incorrect. Although fruits are rare along streams, they occur 
-often on cliffs, where the large mountain butterfly, Meneris tulbaghia, 1s 
free to visit its flowers, this beautiful but shy insect not readily venturing 
between the banks of streams. In such more exposed localities groups 0 
plants have often been seen all fruiting, as on some cliffs overlooking 
‘Campshay. The head of the butterfly mentioned is figured showing one of 
the pollinia adhering to it. 
The brilliancy of the colour is due to the combi nation of several details 
-of structure. The apex of each epidermal cell forms an elongated dome, and 
