284 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [SEPTEMBER, 1915. 
Fal BRASSIA LONGISSIMA. 
VERY striking Brassia is occasionally exhibited under the name of B. 
Lawrenceana longissima, and the appearance of a plant at the 
R.H.S. meeting held on August 17th last, from the collection of J. Gurney 
Fowler, Esq., Brackenhurst, Pembury, reminds us that its history has 
never been cleared up, though its distinctness. has long been recognised. 
It is a native of Costa Rica, and flowered in the collection of Wentworth 
Buller, Esq., Strete Raleigh, near Exeter, in 1868, when it was described 
‘by Reichenbach under the name of B. Lawrenceana var. longissima (Gard. 
-Chron., 1868, page 1313), the author remarking that, notwithstanding the 
unusual length of the segments, he could not help thinking it was but a 
form of the old B. Lawrenceana. It was also figured in the Botanical 
Magazine (t. 5748). Messrs. Veitch long ago suggested a doubt as to the 
correctness of this view (Man. Orch., viii. p. 125), and the information that 
has since come to hand leaves no doubt that the two are altogether distinct. 
The original B. Lawrenceana flowered in the collection of Mrs. 
Lawrence, at Ealing Park, in 1840, and was soon afterwards described and 
figured by Lindley (Bot. Reg., 1841, Misc..p. 2, t. 18). It was said to have 
come from Brazil, but this was evidently a mistake, for all subsequent 
materials have come from Guiana, where it was collected by the late G. S. 
Jenman, besides which specimens have been submitted to Kew for determina- 
tion by Sir John Kirk that were said to have been obtained from Surinam, 
and by Miss Sinnock from Demerara. This original form has comparatively 
short sepals and petals, as may be seen in the figure, and is nearly allied 
to B. Lanceana, Lindl., another Guiana species. 
In B. longissima the sepals are about four times as long, and are drawn 
out into elongated slender filaments, while the other parts of the flower are 
also distinct. The habitat has been abundantly confirmed, for in May, 
1890, Messrs. Sander sent it for determination from ‘“‘ Central America,” 
and subsequently it has been sent by Messrs. Charlesworth & Co., and by 
E. Gotto, Esq., in both cases the source being stated as Costa Rica. It is 
far superior to B. Lawrenceana as a decorative plant, and is one of the 
most distinct Brassias known. 
Brassia is a genius very nearly allied to Oncidium—to which, indeed, 
Reichenbach reduced it—but is readily distinguished by its much 
elongated, very acuminate segments. At least thirty species are known, 
but the majority are rarely seen in cultivation, two of the commonest being 
B. verrucosa and the stately B. brachiata, an allied species with much 
larger flowers. Several others are occasionally met with. R.A.R. 
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