76 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
CYPRIPEDIUM INSIGNE MEASURESIA. 
THIs is a very beautiful, and at the same a rather mysterious plant, of 
which we have received a flower from the collection of R. H. Measures, 
Esq., The Woodlands, Streatham, together with the following note 
respecting its origin. Mr. Coles, Mr. Measures’ gardener, went down 
to St. Albans, and there saw a small importation of the so-called C. 
insigne montanum, collected further afield than any previous lot. From 
these he selected all that he cared to (the small balance is believed to 
have gone to the United States), and out of them has flowered C. 
hirsutissimum, some distinct forms of C. insigne, one of them more 
highly coloured than any seen before, with the leaves mottled like C. 
Chamberlainianum, but much fainter; others with a twist in the dorsal 
sepal, certainly like C. x Arthurianum, and last, but not least, the 
present one. In several respects this flower resembles an albino of C. 
x Leeanum, especially in the shape of the large white dorsal sepal, 
reflexed at the sides near the base, while the central part of the base 
alone is greenish yellow. The petals are greenish yellow, rather broad, 
and undulate on the upper margin, and the lip greenish yellow, slightly 
suffused in front with light brown. It is certainly different from any form 
of insigne which we have seen. Mr. Measures describes it as quite a new 
departure in the insignes; and in reply to an enquiry whether it could 
not be an artificial hybrid, perhaps a form of Leeanum, he said it was 
in the highest degree improbable, for the plants were not potted even, 
and it was certainly one out of this batch. There remains, however, . 
something to be explained. A natural hybrid Leeanum seems unlikely, 
for we have no evidence that insigne and Spicerianum grow together. 
Then if those like Arthurianum are really that hybrid, it would suggest 
that somewhere the much sought-for C. Fairrieanum grows with C. 
insigne. C. hirsutissimum we know is Himalayan, but how it came to 
be an importation of C. insigne we cannot at present explain. We hope 
to see these doubtful Arthurianums on a future occasion, and should be 
much obliged for any facts bearing on the question. A Cypripedium 
exhibited at the last meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society by 
Mr. Thos. Duck, of Abbey Wood, which is mentioned on another page, 
has some interest in this connection, for it is said to have been imported 
with C. insigne montanum, but more resembled a small light-coloured 
C. X Leeanum. Several possible explanations suggest themselves, but 
we prefer to leave the whole question for the present. Further evidence 
will probably be forthcoming another season. 
