63 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



P. rosea. — This is a small-flowered species, but 

 still a very free "bloomer, and very showy. The 

 leaves oblong, notched at the ends, thick and fleshy 

 in texture, and bright green. Scape about a foot or 

 more long, bearing a somewhat lax raceme of ten to 

 fifteen flowers. Sepals and petals equal, spreading, 

 waxy-white, suffused with pink. Lip destitute of 

 the twisted tendrils, middle lobe ovate, deep rose- 

 colour, with a prominent downy callus. Spring 

 and summer months. Philippine Islands. 



P. rosea, var. aurantiaca. — The present form is so 

 marked, and so showy, that it is deserving of general 

 cultivation. Leaves more ovate than oblong, thick 

 and fleshy. Flowers larger than the normal form, 

 measuring two inches across. Sepals and petals 

 waxy- white, suffused with rich rose. Front part of 

 lip intense deep rose, the basal half, side lobes, and 

 column rich orange. Spring and summer months. 

 Philippine Islands. 



P. Sanderiana. — This is supposed to be a natural 

 hybrid between P. amabilis and P. Schilleriana, and 

 has a somewhat striking resemblance to both. The 

 leaves are more like the first-named species, and yet 

 they are sometimes very slightly tesselated ; the shape 

 of the flower is amabile, and it retains the twisted 

 tendrils ; the side lobes dotted with rosy-crimson at 

 their base. The base of the lip has a peculiar- shaped 

 callus, which is dull yellow, spotted with reddish- 

 brown. Sepals and petals rosy-purple. Spring 

 months. Philippine Islands. 



P. Schilleriana. — It is often said that plants with 

 handsomely variegated leaves have small and in- 

 significant flowers, but in the present species we have 

 the beauties of both highly developed. Leaves ob- 

 long and obtuse, twelve to eighteen inches long, 

 thick and leathery in texture, dull purple beneath, 

 intense dark green above, over which is spread a 

 beautiful silvery-grey, in some instances disposed in 

 regular transverse bands. Peduncle simple in young 

 plants, but much branched in older specimens, bear- 

 ing from twenty to one hundred and fifty flowers, 

 upwards of three inches in diameter. Sepals and 

 petals rosy-lilac, the latter much the largest. Lip 

 three-lobed, deep rosy-lilac or purple, with two 

 yellow callosities and a few spots of reddish-purple 

 at the base ; middle lobe destitute of tendrils, but 

 ornamented with a pair of short recurved horns. 

 Winter and spring months. Philippine Islands. 



P. Stuartiana. — A lovely plant of somewhat recent 

 introduction, and in all probability a variety of the 

 preceding species. Its leaves are slightly mottled, 

 and it has the same recurved buffalo-like horns on 

 the lip. Dorsal sepal and petals white, the lateral 

 sepals stained with yellow all along the inner half, 

 over which is a profusion of dots and spots of 

 purplish-crimson. Lip same colour towards the base, 



white in front. Winter and spring months. Philip- 

 pine Islands. 



P. Sumatrana. — This is also known by the name 

 of P. zebrina. Sepals and petals oblong, upwards of 

 an inch long, creamy- white, tinged with yellow, ir- 

 regularly barred with transverse blotches of reddish- 

 brown. Lip white, spotted orange towards the base 

 on the side lobes, and streaked with violet in front, 

 where it is densely fringed with long hairs. Spring 

 months. Sumatra. 



Physurus. — A large family of small terrestrial 

 plants, which are not conspicuous for their flowers ; 

 the species in cultivation are grown for the beauty 

 of their leaves, which somewhat resemble those of 

 Ancectochilus, and require the same treatment, which 

 see. Brazilian House. 



P. argyreus. — Leaves linear-lanceolate, and bright 

 green, having two silvery lines running parallel 

 with the midrib, the space between them presenting 

 a beautiful frosted appearance. Brazil.. 



P. Jimbrillaris. — Leaves upwards of two inches 

 long, deep green on the upper side, beautifully 

 reticulated with silvery veins. Forests near Rio 

 Janeiro. 



P. maculatus. — A somewhat tall-growing plant. 

 Leaves lanceolate-acute, bronzy-green above, with 

 two rows of silvery-white oblong spots on each side 

 of the midrib, from base to apex, the under side 

 plain pale green. Ecuador. 



P. nobilis. — A robust plant, with large broadly- 

 ovate leaves, dark green, over which is spread a 

 net-work of bright silvery veins. Brazil. 



P. Ortgiesii. — Leaves ovate-lanceolate, deep green, 

 midrib white, and the whole blade freckled with 

 white dots and spots. New Grenada. 



P. pictus. — Leaves oblong-acute, the centre of the 

 leaf silvery- white, with a frosted appearance, broadly 

 margined with dark green, over which is spread a 

 net- work of silvery veins. In the variety reticularis 

 the leaf is dark green, wholly covered with silvery 

 veins. And in yet another form of this plant the 

 centre of the leaf is silvery- white, with a plain deep 

 green border. Brazil. 



Pilnmna. — A small genus of beautiful plants. 

 The name is derived from pileos, "a cap," in re- 

 ference to the shape of the singular fringed hood 

 that covers the anthers. They form oblong pseudo- 

 bulbs, which bear a solitary leaf, and should be 

 potted in equal parts of peat and sphagnum moss. 

 They require an abundant supply of water during 

 the period of growth, and even in the resting season 

 water must not be entirety withheld. The same 

 treatment as for Odontoglossums suits them well. 

 Peruvian House. 



