﻿348 



THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



[November, 1904. 



PAPHIOPEDILUM CHARLESWORTHII AND P. 

 SPICERIANUM. 



The question as to whether Paphiopedilum Charlesworthii and P. Spicer- 

 ianum grow anywhere intermixed has been pretty exhaustively discussed in 

 these pages, so far as the existing evidence is concerned (see vol. ix., p. 

 369, and x., pp. 14, 296, and 369), and now a further detail can be added. 

 The third reference cited above contained the following :— " Some time 

 ago some imported P. Charlesworthii were purchased for the Kew collec- 

 tion, and, in potting up, some of the larger clumps were divided, making 

 some dozen and a half plants altogether. The majority are now in flower, 

 but singularly enough two of them prove to be P. Spicerianum. Without 

 knowing the history of the importation one could not say positively that 

 the plants actually grew intermixed, but at all events the facts are signifi- 

 cant in connection with what has been recorded before." It is well known 

 that the two species are remarkably alike in their foliage, but that there are 

 differences in the markings of the under surface, and the discovery just 

 recorded led to an examination of the remaining clumps, with the result of 

 showing that one clump almost certainly contained both species. 

 In the following autumn this clump produced one or more flowers 

 of P. Spicerianum, when unfortunately it was lost sight of, and was 

 believed to have been given away in exchange. It appears that it went to 

 the collection of John Crombleholme, Esq., St. Mary's, Clayton-le-Moors, 

 Accrington, as this gentleman now writes to Mr. Watson : — " A clump of 

 Cyp. Spicerianum which you gave me last November has just flowered, 

 throwing up four flowers, one of which is a pure Charlesworthii and the 

 other three Spicerianum. Does not this tend to prove that they grow 

 together in nature ? " It certainly tends to confirm the evidence which has 

 already been collected to this effect. The explanation probably is that 

 while the areas of the two species are in the main distinct they somewhere 

 overlap, and there, of course, hybrids may occur. We should like to see 

 the origin of the mysterious plants known as Cypripedium Fred. Hardy and 

 C. Crawshawa; cleared up. R. A. R. 



ORCHIDS IN SEASON. 



The brilliant autumn-flowering Cattleya labiata is again flowering freely in 

 almost every Orchid collection and producing a most brilliant display, and 

 the fact makes it very difficult to realise how excessively rare it was a few 

 years ago. Its re-discovery and importation in quantity is one of the most 

 important events of recent years. A large and very handsome form has been 

 sent from the collection of F. M. Burton, Esq., Highfield, Gainsborough. 



