236 THE ORCHID REVIEW. (AUGUST, 1912. 
the original parents are thus represented in the reproductive cells of the 
offspring in varying proportions, and as the character of the new individual 
depends upon that of the reproductive cells which unite to form it, and many 
individuals are often produced by a single cross, the result is the wide range 
of variation and varying amount of reversion now so familiar among 
secondary hybrids. Primary hybrids do not vary in this way because 
derived directly from species, which form reproductive cells of uniform 
character. 
ORCHIDS OF FORMOSA. 
AN interesting article on ‘“‘ The Flora of Formosa” has just appeared from 
the pen of Mr. H. J. Elwes, who has returned from a two months’ trip in 
_ the island (Gard. Chron., 1912, ii. pp. 25, 26). The island lies within the 
tropics, and consists of a mountainous backbone rising at two points to 
over 12,000 feet elevation, and falling on the east side in very high and 
steep cliffs to the sea. The flora of the plains, lower hills, and of parts of 
the central mountain range is fairly well known, the most recent list, by 
Mr. Kawakami, Government Botanist, containing about 2700 species, but a 
great part of the interior, and especially of the high mountain range in the 
north, known to Europeans as Mount Sylvia, is unknown or but little 
explored, because the aborigines are so hostile that no one can go into the 
country without great risk of being killed, head-hunting being the favourite 
pursuit of some of these tribes from time immemorial. The Japanese since 
their occupation of the country in 1895, have done an immense deal to 
civilise the country, and the plains are safer to travel in than are some 
parts of Europe, but it is impossible to visit many districts, and Mr. Elwes 
was disappointed in his hope of reaching really new ground. Yet a 
considerable collection of plants was made, and Mr. Elwes remarks: ‘I 
have little doubt that my companion, Mr. W. R. Price, who intends to 
remain during the whole summer and autumn in the island, will enrich Kew 
with the finest set of Formosa plants that has yet come to Europe.” We 
may extract the following interesting notes about the Orchids of Formosa :— 
“Orchids are, in some districts, plentiful, and more than 100 species 
are found in the island; but by far the greater number are inconspicuous, 
and of more interest to the botanist than to the gardener. The only really 
fine species is Phalenopsis Aphrodite, which was formerly common at the 
south end of the island, but which is now becoming quite rare in accessible 
districts, as it is collected for sale by the natives... At the time I was there, 
in February, it was in full flower, though the weather, considering the 
datitude, was very windy and cold (50° to 60°) at night. 
“In ‘the Arisan forest, at 6000 to 7ooo feet, are quantities of a 
Dendrobium with long, thin pseudobulbs, which are collected for some 
