ORCHIDS. 



299 



OECHIDS. 



By William Hugh Gowkr. 



Colax. — A small genus of Epiphytes, nearly allied 

 to Maxillaria ; indeed the difference is so small that 

 few cultivators would find it. The caudicle in this 

 genus is destitute of a gland, whilst in the true 

 Maxillaria it is short, stout, and semi-circular. The 

 only species we shall include here is — 



C. Jujosus. — This plant should be treated as a pot 



The genus is remarkable for its very long, double 

 spurs, which are sheathing, one within the other. 

 These plants require to be grown upon a block with 

 a little Sphagnum moss : they do not like full expo- 

 sure to the sun, but rather affect shade ; water must 

 never be entirely withheld, as they cannot live if 

 they get any drying. Shady corner in the BraziHan 

 House. 



C. coccinea. — This elegant little plant is extremely 

 rare in cultivation, and blooming as it does during 



plant and placed in the Brazilian House. Pseudo- 

 bulbs somewhat ovate, compressed, smooth, some 

 three inches high, bearing a pair of deep green leaves' 

 at the apex, and several smaller sheathing ones at 

 the base ; these are lanceolate, and taper to a point, 

 six to eight inches long, nearly two inches broad; 

 scape erect, radical, two to three-flowered; sepals 

 broadly-oblong, creamy-white, and waxy in texture ; 

 petals somewhat similar in shape, creamy-white, 

 but inside profusely banded with transverse bands of 

 rich velvety purple ; lip small, white, striped and 

 spoHed with bluish-purple. Spring and early sum- 

 mer. Brazil. 



Comparettia. — A few small-growing but beau- 

 tiful plants make up this genus, which is named in 

 honour of M. Comparetti, a distinguished Italian 

 botanist. 



the dreary months, it seems to brighten up the plant- 

 houses. Pseudo-bulbs, long and slender, bearing one 

 to three leaves on the apex, scape issuing from the 

 side of the pseudo-bulb, near the base ; three to seven- 

 flowered ; sepals and petals small, yellow, edged 

 with scarlet ; lip three- lobed, side lobes small, mid- 

 dle lobe large and spreading, brilliant scarlet-orange 

 at the base ; spur very long. Autumn and winter 

 months. Brazil. 



C. falcata. — The leaves of this species are larger 

 than the preceding, and falcate. Scape three to six- 

 flowered ; sepals and petals small ; lip obcardate, 

 spreading, rich deep crimson. Spring and early 

 summer. Peru and Columbia. 



Coryantlies (the Helmet Flower). — This name 

 is derived from horys, "a helmet," and anthos, "a 

 flower," in allusion to the extraordinary form of the 



