THE ORCHID GENERA 61 



CORYANTHES 



The genus Coryanthes is widely diffused in tropical 

 America, and is dispersed over the vast territory that 

 stretches from South Catherina in Brazil to Mexico. 

 The genus was founded on C. maculata, to which may 

 be added such wonderful species as C. macrantha, C. 

 Master siana, C. macrocorys, C. leucocorys, C. speciosa, and 

 C. Wolfii. Their flowers are among the most extra- 

 ordinary in form of all Orchids, there being nothing in 

 the whole vegetable kingdom with which they can be 

 aptly compared. It is evident that the flowers of 

 Coryanthes are incapable of self-fertilisation ; in fact, 

 the whole structure and perfume of the flowers is 

 arranged so as to attract the visits of numerous 

 beautiful metallic-green bees {Euglossa aurata). These 

 humble bees, in a very peculiar manner, force their way 

 in and out of the flowers, and so effect their fertilisation. 

 Some interesting details of the structure of Coryanthes 

 flowers, and the various contrivances by which their 

 fertilisation is effected, are given in the Orchid Review, 

 p. 338 (1894), anc ^ * n tne Gardeners^ Chronicle, vol. xxi. 



(1884) , p. 482 ; vol. xxiii. (1885), p. 144 ; ^and vol. xxiv. 



(1885) , p. 103. Coryanthes have their home in the hot, 

 damp river valleys, or near the low-lying sea-shore. It 

 is, therefore, essential that they be given the highest 

 temperature available in our Orchid houses. They 

 should be placed in shallow baskets, with a very small 

 quantity of good fibrous peat, on the surface of which 

 a few heads of living moss may be pricked in. A 

 moderate supply of water should be afforded at all 

 times. 



Cycnoches 



This genus almost rivals Coryanthes in interest, al- 

 though the flowers are not so large, nor perhaps so 



