ORCHIDS. 



89 



growth is complete, and the leaves are in full 

 vigour. With care these plants may be grown 

 upon blocks, but we prefer pot- culture, the compost 

 being equal parts of peat and Sphagnum. After 

 growth is complete and flowers faded, gradually dry 

 them off and give a thorough rest. East Indian 

 House when growing, but Brazilian House when at 

 rest. 



G. barbata. — Pseudo-bulbs clustered, ringed, and 

 bearing on the summit several linear-lanceolate 

 acute leaves, dark green above, paler below. Raceme 

 nodding, bearing numerous showy flowers. Sepals 

 and petals erect, tawny -brown. Lip large, convo- 

 lute, with a long spur, rosy-pink, bordered with 

 white, and lined with deep rosy-crested lines on the 

 disc. Summer months. Brazil. 



G. Bevoniana. — A tall-gi'0\ving species, with slen- 

 der pseudo-bulbs, usually two to three feet high, 

 often more. Sepals and petals about equal, lanceo- 

 late and erect, of a uniform purj)lish-brown, and 

 bordered with yellowish-green; lip large, helmet- 

 shaped ; spur short and blunt ; creamy- white, broadly 

 tipped with intense rich rose, and transversely barred 

 with dark purple lines. Summer months. Banks 

 of the Rio Negro. 



Gongora. — In this genus we have numerous 

 most interesting and cmious plants. The name is 

 given in honour of a Spanish Viceroy of Xew 

 Grenada. 



Although Gongoras were much sought after in 

 the earlier days of Orchid-culture, they ha^'e to 

 some extent lost caste at the present time, probably 

 because their flowers are not sufiiciently gorgeous to 

 satisfy the prevailing taste. 



Gongoras are all natives of South America, where 

 they luxuriate upon the branches of the forest trees ; 

 w^hen not in flower they resemble each other very 

 much in appearance ; the pseudo-bulbs are oblong, 

 ribbed, and bear a pair of dark green leaves, which 

 are broadly -lanceolate, and about a foot high ; the 

 flower-spike springs from the base of the pseudo- 

 bulbs, and is pendulous, hanging down sometimes 

 the length of two feet; the racemes bear some of 

 the most fantastic-shaped flowers it is possible to 

 imagine, in some instances resembling those artificial 

 flies with which the angler seeks to lure the finny 

 tribe from the silvery stream. On account of the 

 drooping flower- spikes, Gongoras must be grown 

 in hanging baskets, .in a compost of equal parts 

 rough peat and Sphag-num, and a few nodules of 

 charcoal ; these plants enjoy an abundant supply of 

 water, but after gi'owth is complete they require a 

 thorough period of rest. Cool end of Brazilian 

 House. 



G. atropurjntrca. — The racemes long and many- 



flowered ; the sepals are all bent back ; the flowers, 

 w^hich resemble an insect in shape, are of a uniform 

 deep purple. Summer months. Trinidad. 



G. hufonia — so called from its resemblance to a 

 toad in its markings — was one of the first introduced 

 species. The whole flower is beautifully variegated 

 with purple and white: in the variety leucochila the 

 flowers are purple, with a white lip, which is tipped 

 with yellow. Spring months. Brazil. 



G. maculata. — This is a very showy species ; the 

 flowers resemble an artificial fly-hook ; ground-colour 

 bright yellow, profusely spotted with blood-red. In 

 the variety alba the flowers are wholly white, saving 

 a few rose-coloured spots on the lip. Spring months. 

 Demerara. 



G. portentosa. — A somewhat more robust-growing 

 species than any of the others ; flowers numerous ; 

 sepals yellow, turned back ; petals and lip creamy- 

 white, dotted with violet. Summer months. Xew 

 Grenada. 



G. truncata. — The sepals in this species are more 

 obtuse than the others, and the lip shines as if 

 varnished; the flowers are wholly yellow and 

 reddish-brown. Spring months. Mexico. 



Goodyera. — A genus of small-growing terrestrial 

 Orchids, named in honour of J. Goodyer, a British 

 botanist, which have for the most part small and un- 

 attractive flowers, but like their near allies, the 

 Ancectochlll, many of the species have beautifully 

 veined and netted leaves ; one species {G. repens) is 

 abundant in the Scottish Highlands ; its leaves, how- 

 ever, are unornamented, being a rather soft plain 

 green, whilst the small racemes of flowers are 

 greenish-white. The species and varieties from 

 warm latitudes are mostly gxown with the Ancecto- 

 ch'di, to which they form admirable companions, and 

 the same treatment suits them; but species from 

 cooler regions thrive best in the Peruvian House. 



G. Daivsoiiiana. — A robust and free-growing plant ; 

 leaves somewhat cordate-acute, the upper sui-face 

 glossy and shiny, an intense deep bronzy - green, 

 veined and netted with gold, under side deep port- 

 wine colour , raceme erect ; flowers pure white, and 

 very effective for either button-hole bouquet, or 

 shoulder-sprays. :\Ialay Archipekgo. (CoiTect name 

 Ilcemeria discolor Datcsoniana.) 



G. discolor. — This is a smallar plant than the pre- 

 ceding, but a free and robust grower, with ovate, 

 nerveless leaves, which are dark velvety-chocolat-e, 

 sparingly veined with white ; raceme dense, bearing 

 white flowers, stained with pale yellow on the lip. 

 Brazil. (Correct name Rccmeria discolor.) 



G. Dominiana. — Leaves dark bronze, with a rich, 

 velvet-like appearance, prominently veined and 

 netted with creamy-white. It is a very handsome 



