MIL TON] 'A. 



113 



M. ftjcata. — Flowers yellow, white and reddish brown, j 

 Ecuador, 1886 (i). 



M. graxdiflora. — A beautiful species, the flowers 

 pure white in the outer segments ; the lip 

 marked with yellow and purple. Merida and 

 Paraguay, introduced early in the nineteenth 

 century (c). 



M. luteo-alba. — A large-growing and free-flowering 

 species ; flowers yellow, white and purple. Vene- 

 zuela, 1842 (?:). 



M. marginata. — Segments orange-yellow, margined 

 with red. Rio de Janeiro, 1830 (i). 



M. nigrescens. — Flowers very deep, vinous red, very 

 useful. Merida, 1842 (c). 



M. picta. — Flowers light yellow and white, spotted 



with crimson. Brazil, 1831 (c). 

 M. Sanderiaxa.— The finest and most beautiful in the 



genus, sepals and petals white, with almost black 



crimson markings, lip very finely tinted. Ecuador, 



1883 (c). A superb variety named xanthoglossa is 



represented by Fig. (i3. 

 M. tenuifolia. — Peculiarly habited, the rhizomes, erect 



at first, by their weight becoming scandent, with 



small pseudo-bulbs at intervals. Flowers red and 



yellow. Vera Cruz, 1837 (/). 

 M. variabilis. — Very similar to the last-named in 



habit. Colour variable. Mexico, 1837 (i). 

 M. venusta. — Flowers yellow and white ; lip marked 



with crimson. Merida, 1881 (c). 



MESOSPINIDIUM. See Cochlioda, page 86, Vol. III. 



MILTONIA. 



A beautiful genus containing a large number of species. They are very closely 

 related to Odontoglossum and Oncidium, many of the species mentioned below having 

 been known as members of both these genera. Miltonias are not difficult to culti- 

 vate, but on account of their varying habit, it is not possible to lay down conditions that 

 suit them all. With slight variations as to habit, the majority thrive in pots of 

 medium size, with a thin compost of peat and moss. Any of the species with creeping 

 rhizomes, such as M. anceps, M. spectabilis, M. Moreliana, and others of the same nature, 

 are better in baskets or on rafts, as they are not so liable to outgrow their receptacles. 

 Water must be given in accordance with the state of growth, but at no time must the 

 roots be really dry. While liking abundance of light, the foliage is easily injured by 

 direct sunlight. The beautiful M. vexillaria likes a position in a warm, moist house while 

 growing freely, but if the plants seem inclined to rest after flowering they may be placed 

 for a month or two in the cool house, and just kept moist enough to prevent shrivelling 

 at the roots. Attention to the proper temperature, as indicated below, is very necessary, 

 or healthy plants are out of the question. 



Kepresentative Species. 



Miltoxia anceps. — Pseudo-bulb 2 inches high ; 

 flower, 2 inches across, yellowish green, with 

 purple streaks on the lip. Brazil, 1838 (i). 



M. bicolor. — A large-growing and flowering species ; 

 white, with purple on the lip. Brazil (*'). 



M. Bleuaxa. — A beautiful hybrid, raised in France by 

 crossing M. Roezli and M. vexillaria. One of the 

 most charming varieties is virginalis, which, a* 

 the name implies, is white. Fig. 64. 



M. Bluxti. — Supposed to be a natural hybrid between 



VOL. III. 



a 



