136 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



V. Gowerce. — This is a slender species, resembling 

 a Camarotis in habit of growth, and the flowers are 

 like those of Ccelogyne cristata in miniature ; it is a 

 cool-house plant, as in its native habitats it often 

 has snow lie upon it during the resting season. 

 Raceme erect, simple or branched, according to the 

 strength of the plant, five to ten-flowered, flowers 

 about two inches across. Sepals and petals much 

 waved at the edges and pure white. Lip white, 

 tinged with yellow in front, with a little green at 

 the base. Summer months. Northern India. 



V. insignis.— A plant under this name has been in 

 English gardens for many years with a doubtful 

 reputation. Blume 

 many years ago gave 

 the name to a Vanda, 

 but every one failed 

 to distinguish the 

 plant named insignis 

 in cultivation from 

 V. tricolor, saving in 

 colour. In 1867 

 Hutton sent home 

 from the Indian 

 Archipelago some 

 Vandas, which 

 turned out to be 

 Blume's plant, and 

 confirmed the im- 

 pression amongst 

 cultivators that the 

 insignis of gardens 

 was only a form of 

 V. tricolor. The 

 plant in question is 

 very handsome. 



Leaves about ten inches long, linear, with the ends 

 truncate, deep green. Raceme bearing six to eight 

 or more flowers, which are spreading, and upwards 

 of two and a half inches across. Sepals and petals 

 somewhat spathulate, the latter being rather smaller, 

 yellowish- white behind, deep brown in front, spotted 

 with reddish-brown. Lip panduriform, inclining to 

 spathulate, three-lobed, the small lateral lobes white, 

 the large centre one purplish-rose. Spring and early 

 Bummer. Island of Timor. 



V. insignis, var. Schroederiana. — A beautiful addi- 

 tion to this splendid family of plants. There can be 

 little doubt of its being merely a variety of the 

 preceding species, as in everything but colour the 

 flowers are identical. Sepals and petals rich canary- 

 yellow. Lip large, pure white. Autumn months. 

 Island of Timor. 



V. limbata. — This species ranks among the 

 smaller- growing kinds, and undoubtedly is a near 

 ally of V. furva, which was at one time held in 



Vanda Cathcarti. 



esteem, but has lost caste since the introduction of 

 more beautiful forms. Leaves about six inches long, 

 and an inch and a half broad, bi-lobed at the apex, 

 and deep green. Racemes erect, bearing ten to 

 fifteen very showy flowers, about two inches across. 

 Sepals and petals equal, spathulate, bright chest- 

 nut-brown, marbled with a deeper hue of the same 

 colour, bordered with a rich yellow, and tinged with 

 lilac outside. Lip spreading, rosy- lilac. Summer 

 months. Java. 



V. Roxburghii. — A handsome small-growing species 

 with recurved, coriaceous, strap-shaped leaves, which 

 are keeled below and truncate at the apex. Raceme 



many-flowered. 

 Sepals and petals 

 oblong, china-white, 

 tessellated with 

 purple. Lip deep 

 red. In the variety 

 cosrulea the flowers 

 are the same except 

 the lip, which is of 

 a beautiful bright 

 blue. Summer 

 months. Northern 

 India. 



V. saavis. — Leaves 

 lorate, recurved, and 

 d ;ep bright green. 

 Racemes erect, bear- 

 ing from seven to 

 fourteen of its ex- 

 quisite fragrant 

 flowers. Sepals and 

 petals somewhat spa- 

 thulate, erect, flat 

 twisted, china-white, 

 spotted and blotched 



when first open, ultimately 

 plain behind, but beautifully 

 in front with purple and crimson. Lip three-lobed, 

 deep violet. Summer months. Java. 



V. teres. — Leaves terete, about as thick as a 

 turkey's quill, and deep green. The flower-spike 

 arises from the opposite side of the stem to the leaf, 

 and is ascending, bearing a raceme of about seven 

 flowers, which are upwards of four inches across. 

 Sepals and petals oblong -obtuse, petals much the 

 broader, soft rose-colour, with a paler border. Lip 

 large, three-lobed, side lobes rolled over the column, 

 middle lobe flat and spreading ; disc yellow, veined 

 with reddish-crimson, the margin rosy-purple. In 

 the variety Andersonii the flowers are somewhat 

 more brilliant in colour, and very freely produced. 

 Spring arid summer months. Northern India. 



V. tricolor. — -This is at once a most beautiful and 

 a most variable plant, in respect to the colour and 

 markings of its flowers ; some of the most distinct 



