MILTON I A SPECTABILIS Lindi. 



VAR. MORELIANA Henfr. 



, bracteis equitantibus 

 uneato-obovato emar- 

 s, columna brevi alis 



Pseudobulbis oblongis compressis diphyllis, foliis Hneari-oblongis obtusis, scapis subteretibus vaginis amplis equitantil 

 subobtusis, perianthio patente, sepalis lanceolato-oblongis apiculatis margine reflexis, petalis conformibus latioribus, labello n 

 ginato undulato septemnervato venis arcuatis convergentibus tribus centralibus basi lamellato-cristatis, cristis integerrimis 

 carnosis auriculiformibus. 



Miltonia spectabilis, Lindl. in Bot Reg., XXIII., sub. t. 1976 ; id., t. 1992 ; id., XXXI., sub. t. 8 ; id., Fol. Orch., Milt, p. 1 ; Bot. Mag., t. 4204 ; 

 Paxt. Mag. Bot., VII, p. 97 ; cum ic; Rchb. f. Xen. Orch, I, p. 129; 111. Hort, VI, t. 216 ; The Garden, XXXI, p. 374, t. 593 ; Veitch Man. Orch, VIII, 

 pp. 108, 109, cum ic. 



Macrochilus Fryanus, Kn. & Westc. Flor. Cab, I, p. 93, t. 45. 



Oncidium spectabile, Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann, VI, p. 759. 



Var. Moreliana, Henfr. in Moore & Ayres Gard. Mag. Bot, III, p. 41, cum ic; Lem. Jard. Fleur, I, t. 108 ; 111. Hort, II, t 71 ; Fl. des Serres, 

 t. 1008 ; De Puydt, Les Orch, p. 293, t. 27 ; Lindenia, III, p. 21, t. 105 ; Warn. & Will. Orchid Album, VJII, t. 364. 



Miltonia Moreliana, Warn. Sel. Orch, I, t. 32 ; Fl. Mag, n. s, 1874, t. 143 ; Jenn. Orch, t. 37. 



Var. purpureo-CCERULEA, Hook. Bot. Mag, t. 4425. 



Oncidium spectabile var. Moreliana, Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann, VI, p. 759. 



The beautiful Miltonia spectabilis, the species on which the genus was founded by Lindley, flowered for the first time in this country in 1837, in the 

 establishment of Messrs. Loddiges, of Hackney, and a little later in the collection of Mr. George Barker, of Birmingham. A month later it was again 

 described by Knowles and Westcott, in their Floral Cabinet, under the name of Macrochilus Fryanus. This particular plant had flowered in the collection of 

 the Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society, who had received it in the autumn of 1835, together with many other varieties, from a Mr. Fry, for 

 many years a resident in the Brazils. All the plants named may possibly have been derived from the same source. The variety Moreliana was sent to 

 M. Morel, of St. Mande, near Paris, in 1846, by his Brazilian correspondent, M. Porte, and was dedicated to the former. Somewhat earlier, however, it had 

 been figured in the Botanical Magazine under the name of M. spectabilis var. purpureo-violacea. Although so strikingly distinct as regards colour, it 

 conforms to the type in every other respect, and is clearly a variety of the same species. M. spectabilis is remarkably distinct from every other Miltonia, 



especially 1 



the 





1 of the nu 





: sheaths with which the short peduncle is covered. It i 



The genus Miltonia has furnished us with many charming species, but none more striking in its colour than the 

 subject of our plate. 



The typical Miltonia spectabilis presents many forms, and all vary considerably in the colouring of the labellum, 

 but the sepals and petals are white, or nearly so. The variety Moreliana is a distinct departure in the matter of colour, 

 and is a most remarkable instance of colour variation in orchids ; in form and structure it is M. spectabilis pure and 

 simple. 



This variety has until quite recently been very rare, appearing in solitary instances among the white-petalled 

 typical M. spectabilis, whose habitat is on the mountain range of St. Paulo, Brazil. However, last year (1893) our 

 collector, Mr. Forget, discovered the true M. Moreliana growing somewhat plentifully in the province of Bahia, and 

 unmixed with the typical plant. The flowers are, perhaps, not quite so large as the St. Paulo variety, but their colours 

 are brilliant and glowing ; and the plants are free of habit and robust in growth. 



In the Kew collection is a plant of the St. Paulo form of Moreliana, probably the finest one in existence. 



The Miltonias of this section have the reputation of being difficult to grow, yet in some gardens they thrive so 

 admirably, and with so little care, as to disprove the allegation if the plants are only properly managed. A shady, but 

 light corner of the intermediate house should be set apart for them, and a temporary staging raised to bring the plants 

 near the glass. Well-drained, shallow pans or baskets suit them best, as they require an abundance of rain-water when 

 growing, but a free drainage must be secured. When the pseudo-bulbs are thoroughly made up, water should be 

 partially withheld for a month or so, and more air admitted ; but the pseudo-bulbs must not be allowed to shrivel for 

 want of sufficient moisture at the roots. 



Our plate was taken from a pla 



ariety which flowered 



