﻿March, , 9 o 4 .J 



THE ORCHID REVIEW 



PHAIUS BLUMEI VAR. BERN AYSII. 



& Sons, and it afterwards appeared that it was named by Baron Ferdinand 

 von Mueller, after Mr. Lewis A. Bernays, F.L.S., Vice-President of the 



with difficulty distinguished. These plants occupied many acres of 

 swampy land, and being in full bloom were inexpressibly beautiful. The 

 effect was heightened by the margin of the swamps being lined with the 

 beautiful fern. Todea superba, breast-high; and in places this was so 

 densely interlaced with the delicate climbing fern. Lvgodium microphyllum, 

 that we had to cut our way through." — Gard. Clirou., 1873, p. 1244. 



Reichenbach had some doubt of its specific distinctness ; and it was after- 

 wards figured under the name of Phaius Blumei var. Bernaysii (Hook. f. 

 Bot. Mag., t. 6032), on the ground that it differed from F. Blumei in 

 colour only, having the inner surface of the sepals, petals, and lip sulphur 

 yellow, instead of reddish brown. The back of the sepals and petals is 

 white, as in the type, and the contrast of colour is very curious. It does 

 not seem to be in the self-fertilising condition mentioned by Messrs. Veitch 

 in their Manual (vi., p. n) for the Bowers open perfectly. Where the 

 present plant came from is not clear, for this sulphur yellow form is also 

 know from Figi, and from the Indian locality of this widely-diffused species. 



R. A. Rolfe. 



CAPE ORCHIDS. 



" A list of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of the Cape Peninsula," by 

 Harry Bolus, F.L.S., and Major A. H. Wooley-Dod, has just appeared 

 {Trans. S. Afr. Phil. Soc, xiv., pp. 207-373), from which we learn that 

 117 species of Orchids, belonging to twelve genera, are known from that 

 rather small peninsula, some 40 miles long, with a w idth varying of from 

 two to eight or nine miles. Disa heads the list, with no less than forty- 

 seven species. Speaking of the more conspicuous kinds the authors 

 remark :— 



" Orchids are numerous in species, some few also in individuals. The 



