THE ORCHID REVIEW. 207 
EULOPHIELLA ELISABETH. 
A LITTLE over a year ago this remarkable plant flowered in Europe for the 
first time, in the houses of Messrs. Linden, L’Horticulture Internationale, 
Brussels, and on careful examination it proved to be quite distinct from any- 
thing hitherto known, and a new genus was created for its reception. Asin the 
case of other striking plants, nothing was divulged with regard to its habitat, 
though information on this, and other points, has now come to hand, which 
enables me to add another chapter to its history. This information comes 
from another source, which, however, is a matter of secondary importance, 
for the discovery and introduction of a species, though interesting, is only 
one phase ofits history. Messrs. F. Sander and Co., of St. Albans, have now 
received a batch of plants from M. L. Hamelin, a French gentleman resident 
in Madagascar, who is said to have been the original discoverer of the 
species. From an examination of some of the plants from this importation, 
including scapes, leaves, and the very characteristic stems, densely clothed 
with the fibrous persistent remains of the old leaves, it is quite certain that 
the species is not terrestrial, as I formerly inferred. In fact, the roots are 
clinging to the remains of fern-stems, on which they have certainly grown. 
It is therefore evident that the plant really grows on tree-ferns, of which 
about thirty species, mostly Cyatheas, grow in Madagascar. M. Hamelin 
States that it grows on one species of tree, and in popular language tree- 
ferns come sufficiently under this definition. The point is an important one, 
because those who obtain plants will want to know how to cultivate them. 
It is now evident that the Eulophiella Elisabethe climbs something in 
the same way as does Zygopetalum maxillare, and one or two of its allies. 
The stems or pseudobulbs have numerous annular rings, each bearing a 
leaf, which on decaying leaves a ring of persistent fibres. The leaves are 
linear-lanceolate, and plicate, those measured being four feet long and two 
inches broad. The scapes measured two anda half feet long, and showed 
the scars of forty flowers, which are borne in a raceme. The scape and 
bracts are of a peculiar lurid or vinous purple, and the back of the sepals is 
also stained with the same colour. The rest of the flower is white, except 
the disc of the front lobe of the lip which is bright yellow, and on it are 
. several short, bristle-like processes directed forwards. The flower is nearly 
circular, by reason of the broad, obtuse sepals and petals. The lip is 
delicately articulated to the short foot of the column, and moves up and 
down with the slightest touch. The crest is rather peculiar. Near the 
base of the lip is a rather large erect fleshy callus, semi-circular in shape, 
slightly crenulate in front, and deep orange in colour. From this extend a 
Pair of slightly diverging white erect keels each terminating in a free tooth 
tipped with orange. The extreme base of the lip is orange-yellow, but there 
is not the slightest trace of spur or sac. 
