62 THE BOOK OF ORCHIDS 



curiously constructed. As in Catasetum, they have 

 unisexual flowers, differing in structure from each 

 other. The column in both sexes is curved like a 

 swan's neck, hence the name Cycnoches. The follow- 

 ing varieties are all worth adding to the collection : C. 

 aureum, C. chlorochilon, C. Egertonianum, C. Loddigesii, C. 

 maculatum, C. peruviana, C. pentadactylon, and C. versicolor. 

 Their culture is similar to that of Catasetums. 



Cymbidium 



There are probably fifty species of this genus known 

 to science, by far the greater number of which are 

 dispersed over the Indo-Malayan region and tropical 

 Australia. Such varieties as C. aloifolium, C. canalicu- 

 latum, C. Finlaysonianum, C. lancifolium, C. madidum, C. 

 pendulum, and C. sinense require the temperature of the 

 East Indian house. Others, as C. affine, C. cyperifolium, 

 C. chloranthum, C. Devonianum, C. elegans, C. eburneum, C. 

 ensifolium, C. giganteum, C. grandiflorum, C. Hooker ianum, 

 C. longifolium, C. Lowianum, C. Master ii, C. tignnum, 

 and C. Tracyanum thrive best in a cool shady intermediate 

 temperature. C. eburneum is without doubt a first-rate 

 spring flowering Orchid, and is a very popular plant, as 

 also is the robust C. Lowii, whose long arching spikes 

 remain in full beauty for several months, and are ex- 

 ceedingly useful for indoor decoration. C. Tracyanum 

 is also a very handsome variety, and is gradually be- 

 coming plentiful. Two beautiful hybrid Cymbidiums, 

 C. eburneo-Lowianum and C. Winnianum rank high in this 

 section for elegance and distinctness. These hybrids, 

 with the last three species enumerated, are always 

 attractive, and are among the most generally cultivated 

 of the genus. The roots of Cymbidiums are thick and 

 fleshy, and should have ample pot room, a compost of 

 fibrous loam, rough peat and sand well drained will 



