FEBRUARY, IQ11.] - THE ORCHID REVIEW. 39 
HABITAT OF CYMBIDIUM TRACYANUM. 
OccCASIONALLY a fine Orchid finds its way into cultivation almost by stealth 
—at least without any definite record of its origin—as was the case with the 
handsome Cymbidium Tracyanum over 20 years ago. This plant flowered 
quite unexpectedly in the establishment of Mr. H. A. Tracy, at Twickenham, 
in December, 1890, when it received a First-class Certificate from the 
R.H.S., and a few days later it was sold at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris’ 
Sale Rooms for 75 guineas, being purchased by the late Baron Schréder. 
All that-was known of its origin was that it had been purchased by Mr. 
Tracy some two or three years previously as an- imported C. Lowianum. 
For some time it remained unique at Fhe Dell, and in December, 1893, a 
‘fine spike of it was exhibited at a meeting of the R.H.S., and was awarded 
a Botanical Certificate and a Cultural Commendation (O.R., ii. p. 31). 
In January, 1895, another plant appeared, being exhibited at a meeting 
_ of the R.H.S. by Mr. J. Prewett, Swiss Nursery, Hammersmith (O.R,, iii. 
p. 64). By this time the idea had somehow got about that it might be a 
natural hybrid between C. grandiflorum and C. giganteum, and soon after- 
wards Mr. Tracy asked the writer if he could throw any light upon its 
origin. Was it a species, or a natural hybrid? I could not answer 
definitely, but in the following autumn another plant flowered in the collec- 
tion of W. J. Woodhead, Esq., Maghull, Liverpool, and this was said to 
have been received from Upper Burma. I then remarked that the facts 
pointed to its being a distinct geographical form (O.R., ill. p. 360). Then 
a flower was sent by Messrs. Sander, with the record that the plant had 
been received from Upper Burma (O.R., iv. p. 3). About the same time a 
plant flowered with Mr. Steel, Philinsbeuch: Selkirk, a flower of it and of 
C. grandiflorum being sent to Mr. J. O’Brien, with the information that 
both came out of the same importation, and were received from a friend of 
Mr. Steel in Burma. They were small plants when received, but were now 
in g-inch pots, and were flowering for the first time. This was held to 
strengthen the supposition of its hybrid origin, and it was remarked that it 
probably only grew in a small area where C. grandiflorum and C. giganteum 
mingled or approached each other (Gard. Chron., 1896, 1. p. 10). 
Soon afterwards other plants appeared, and the information came out 
that it was being received in importations of C. Lowianum. In fact it was 
becoming common, and evidently was not a natural hybrid. In rgoo it 
appeared in a new role, for when C. I’Ansoni appeared, also unexpectedly 
among importations of C. Lowianum, it was described as probably a natural 
hybrid between C. Lowianum and C. Tracyanum (0.R., vill. pp. I9I, 209, 
fig. 34), and it was suggested that a few experiments should be made with a 
view to clearing up some of the accumulating mysteries. 
