io8 THE BOOK OF ORCHIDS 



Renanthera 



A genus of epiphytal Orchids, natives of tropical 

 Asia and Malaya Archipelago. Renanthera coccinea was 

 introduced in the early part of the last century. I may 

 here mention that there is now a plant in the Burford 

 collection which was brought from China in 1815. It is 

 certainly a fine old Orchid, and deserves every attention, 

 but it has always been found a refractory plant in the 

 matter of flowers. The stems, which grow to almost 

 any length, should be fastened to poles of silver birch, 

 to the bark of which the long aerial roots quickly attach 

 themselves. Fix the pole perpendicularly at the sunny 

 end of the Cattleya house, and afford plenty of water 

 with the syringe. R. Imschootiana, R. matutina, and R. 

 Storei, being of more manageable dimensions, may be 

 grown on rafts of teak wood suspended under the roof 

 of the house. 



Restrepia 



This genus is closely allied to Pleurothallis, but it is 

 distinguished by the plants having four pollen masses 

 instead of two. Both genera require similar treatment. 

 R. antennifera is the largest of the species known. It 

 was discovered by Humboldt, near Pasto, at an elevation 

 of 9000 feet. The flowers, which are borne singly on 

 slender pedicels, are nearly four inches in length, the 

 petals and dorsal sepals being lance-shaped, attenuated 

 into slender tails, which have a remarkable resemblance 

 to the antennae of a butterfly. The conspicuous lateral 

 sepals are coherent, boat-shaped, and of a yellow colour 

 dotted with red purple. Restrepia elegans is a pretty 

 little plant, its flowers very much resembling those of the 

 preceding species. R. leopardina is very distinct, the 

 lateral sepals being rich yellow with numerous dots. 

 The flowers of Restrepias, when viewed through a 



