JuLy, 1910.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 215 
CYPRIPEDIUM x VENTRICOSUM. 
ANOTHER stage in the history of Cypripedium ventricosum can now be 
recorded. At the Temple Show a hybrid Cypripedium obtained from C. 
macranthum and C. Calceolus was exhibited by Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & 
Sons, Highgate Nurseries, which I immediately recognised as a form of C. 
ventricosum. It was raised by Messrs. Cutbush’s herbaceous foreman, Mr. 
E. Scaplehorn, who has kindly sent me the following particulars. In May, 
1906, a flower of C. macranthum was fertilised with the pollen of C. 
Calceolus. The capsule developed and contained good seed, which was 
sown on a compost of sphagnum moss and leaf mould, rubbed up very finely 
in the hand. The compost was then carefully watered, and the pan was 
covered with a sheet of glass, and placed in a cold frame, being then kept 
continually moist. Some months later the seeds germinated, and four years 
after the cross was made the first flowers appeared, being exhibited as men- 
tioned above. This experiment proves the opinion expressed six years ago 
(O.R., xii. p. 185) that C. ventricosum, Swartz, is a natural hybrid 
between the two species mentioned, and identical with C. Calceolus X 
macranthus, Barbey, which appeared, together with plants of C. Calceolus, 
in an importation of C. macranthum from Siberia. Curiously enough, Mr. 
Scaplehorn did not know of this note, and only made the cross, with some 
others, in the hope of obtaining hybrids. He also remarks: “‘ Although we 
have imported C. macranthum from Siberia in quantity I have never yet 
found C. Calceolus among them, although I am given to understand they 
grow in company.” The flower exhibited quite agrees with the wild C. 
ventricosum in shape and colour, the dorsal sepal being ovate, acute, over 
1} inches long, and suffused with dark purple, which nearly obliterates the 
underlying yellow ground colour. The petals are similar in colour, narrow, 
hairy at the base, and as long as the dorsal sepal. The lip is globose, 
suffused and veined with dull purple in front and pale behind, and the 
staminode intermediate in shape. C. ventricosum has always been rare, 
but occasionally appears in importations of C. macranthum, and it is 
particularly interesting to have the origin of the plant finally cleared up. 
R. A. ROLFE. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM x ARDENTISSIMUM x LOOCHRISTIENSE. 
A curious Odontoglossum is sent from the collection of G. Hamilton- 
Smith, Esq., Finchley, by Mr. Coningsby. It was bought a few years ago as 
a seedling from O. x ardentissimum X loochristiense, and Mr. Coningsby 
remarks that they did not expect to see a flower resembling a crispum from 
such a cross. Though most like O. crispum in shape and colour, there is a 
marked difference in the shape of the lip and column wings. The sepals 
