176 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
mal condition of one of the species, and the name, indicating tailed-slipper, 
is absolutely absurd and misleading when applied to anything else. 
CYPRIPEDILUM differs from both the preceding in having a one-celled 
ovary, and includes all the remaining species having plicate leaves. The 
sepals are valvate, as in both the preceding, and the perianth is persistent 
as in Selenipedilum, while the seeds are fusiform with a reticulated testa, as 
in Phragmipedilum. The species are deciduous, and at present number 
about thirty. The genus is widely diffused through northern Europe, tem- 
perate Asia, and North America, as far as the mountains of South Mexico. 
PAPHIOPEDILUM agrees with the last in having a one-celled ovary, but 
differs from all the others in having imbricate sepals. This then is that 
mysterious “‘ something” which was to separate the Indian Lady’s Slippers 
from their associates, but Lindley failed to discover; and it is a very 
marked character, as anyone may see on cutting a bud across, or even on 
examing it before expansion. However relatively large the dorsal sepal 
may be, it is always packed up within the lateral united pair in the bud, 
which is thus laterally compressed. It agrees with Phragmipedilum in 
habit and vegetative characters, and in the deciduous perianth and fusiform 
seeds, but differs in the one-celled ovary and imbricate sepals. The genus 
ranges from the Himalayas and South India, through the Malayan Archi- 
pelago to. New Guinea, and through the Philippines to Hongkong; the 
known species numbering forty-two. As to the derivation of the name we 
need only add that Paphios is another name for the goddess Venus. 
Thus the tribe Cypripedilez, or Slipper Orchids, is seen to consist of 
four thoroughly distinct and sharply-characterized genera, three of which 
are well known in cultivation ; and of these one consists of hardy or half- 
hardy deciduous species, while the others are tropical or subtropical ever- 
green plants. The names are not yet generally adopted in gardens, but we 
see no reason why they should not be, and believe it is only a question of 
time. There are many fully recognized genera which are neither so 
distinct nor so well characterized. 
VANILLA PLANIFOLIA. 
In the Economic house at the Glasgow Botanic Gardens there is at present 
a very interesting plant of this West Indian Vanilla, just ripening its fruits, 
which number over 400. A full grown French Bean will give a fair idea of 
the shape and size of its pod. It flowered in June of last year, so that it 
takes a good time to ripen its fruit in this part of the country. Very shortly 
the house in which the plant is growing, and the adjoining ones as_ well, 
will be filled with the pleasant odour of the Vanilla. This is the Vanilla which 
is used for commercial purposes.—A. B. in Journ. Hort., 1901, xlii, p. 195, 
