282. . THE ORCHID REVIEIWV. | DECEMBER, 1916. 
{(@3%5)| DENDROBIUM SPECIOSUM : SPECIMEN PLANT. [5&3 
OrkG) (See Frontispiece). Oe) 
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HE frontispiece to the present volume represents a magnificent 
Cc specimen of Dendrobium speciosum, growing on the branch of a 
tree in the open air, in the garden of J. J. Cribb, Esq., of Brisbane, and 
bearing sixty-three spikes of flowers, forming a fine display. The species is 
a native of Queensland and New South Wales, where it is known as the 
Rock Lily, and this specimen may be said to have been grown under native 
conditions. Dendrobium speciosum was the earliest known of Australian 
Orchids, and was originally introduced by Sir Joseph Banks in 1801. The 
species is rather variable, and the flowers range from ivory white to light 
yellow in colour, with dusky spots on the lip. 
CYPRIPEDIUM NITENS WITH FREE LATERAL SEPALS.—A_ remarkable 
Cypripedium is sent from the collection of Mrs. W. Campbell, Upper 
Gatton Park, Merstham, by Mr. G. W. Hillier, who remarks that it was 
purchased at Messrs. William Bull & Sons’ Sale among a lot of seedlings. 
‘The parentage is unrecorded, but it has all the characters of a fine C. 
nitens, which marks its decent from C. insigne and C. villosum. Its 
anomalous character lies in the free lateral sepals, which are spreading, I4 
inches broad, and well-spotted with brown on a light green ground. It 
will be interesting to see whether the peculiarity is constant. 
ONCIDIUM VARICOSUM.—Three distinct forms of the variable Oncidium 
-varicosum are sent from the collection of Richard Ashworth, Esq., New- 
church, by Mr. W. Gilden. One, which may be regarded as fairly typical, 
has bright flowers of moderate size; a second is pretty similar in size, but has 
the colour deep golden yellow, of a rather unusual shade ; the third is var. 
Rogersii, a very fine form, with a lip nearly 2} inches broad. They form 
a very interesting little group. 
ABNORMAL CATTLEYAS.— Apropos to your article on Abnormal Cattleyas 
(pp. 260-261), I am sending a flower of C. Enid which seems to be just half 
a flower. It is.a curious form of abnormality, and there is no apparent 
reason for it, the growth being a normal one and strong.—R. WINDSOR 
RICKARDS, Usk Priory, Monmouthshire. 
(The comparison with half a flower is admirably descriptive, for the 
left hand side is quite normal, and this side of the lip very richly-coloured, 
-and with the usual yellow markings on the disc. The other side of the lip, 
however, might have been cut away down the centre and replaced by half 
