90 



SOAJE OF THE BEST NEW ORCHIDS. 



one cannot help regretting so much time and labor has 

 been spent over worthless hybrids. The two first were 

 raised by amateurs; the last by the Messrs. Veitch, of 

 Chelsea. C. Aylitigi is the result of crossing C. 7iivcuiii 

 with the pollen of C. ciliolare. It is a plant nearly like 

 C. niveiim in leaf and habit, but bears a flower five 

 inches across, thus showing the influence of the larger- 

 flowered parent. The lip is pure white, the sepals and 

 petals being also white, but with numerous dots of light 

 purple, arranged in streaks. The plant was six years 

 old before flowering. vipani is also a most delight- 

 ful plant ; it was raised from C .Iivvigatiiin and C. nk^cum, 

 the latter being the male parent. The flower is nearly 

 five inches across, and chiefly white, the upper sepals 

 and the two side petals, however, having several bright 

 purple stripes running lengthwise. It is noteworthy 

 that the characters of C. niveiim, whether that species 

 be used as a seed-bearing or pollen-parent, always pre- 

 dominates in the offspring. The third hybrid is C. 

 Niobc, raised by crossing C. Spiceyiauuin with C. Fair- 

 ieanuDi, both of which are amongst the most beautiful 

 of orchids. Although C. SpiciTianuin can now be 

 bought for a few shillings, I believe the first plant im- 

 ported was sold for /105. As for C. Fairieamim, the 

 majority of gardeners have never seen it, yet it is as 

 beautiful as it is rare. In the hybrid the dorsal sepal 

 is green, with a broad band of purple down the centre, 

 and numerous similarly colored nerves at each side. 

 The petals are narrow, quite straight, whitish green, 

 veined with purple ; the pouch is small, pale green, suf- 

 fused with purple brown. The seed of this plant was 

 sown in 1884. 



Aiigrcvctiin Sandeyiaiiiivi. — This is a native of the 

 Comoro Islands, and is probably the best of all the 

 smaller angrascums. It has only been known two or 

 three seasons, but its beauty and freedom in flowering 

 have already acquired it a wide cultivation. It is a 

 dwarf plant, suitable for basket culture, with bright 

 green, tongue-shaped leaves. The flowers are in droop- 

 ing racemes, pure white and about two inches across. I 

 have counted two dozen flowers on one raceme. 



AngrLVCiini GeyininyauiiDi . This is a new species, of 

 great beauty and rarity, which flowered at Kew last 

 year. It had been introduced four years ago, by Sander, 

 of St. Albans, from the forests in the interior of Mada- 

 gascar, where it grows in company with the new 

 Phaius lubeyciilosiis and P. Hiiiuboldlii. It is a plant 

 of scandent, comparatively slender habit, with thick, 

 bright green leaves and pure white flowers. The sepals 

 and petals are three inches long, narrow and tapering. 

 The lip is remarkable in having a long, tendril-like 

 point, the main portion being square and broad. The 

 spur, which is so prominent a part of all angrsecum 

 flowers, measures five inches in length. 



Vanda Kimballiana . (Fig. 2, page 8g). This distinct 

 and lovely orchid first opened its flowers in Messrs. 

 Low's nursery last autumn. It has long, tapering, 

 semi-terete leaves. The blossoms are two to three 

 inches across, the sepals and petals being of the purest 



glistening white, contrasting admirably with which is 

 the beautiful rosy-purple lip. It is well worthy of gen- 

 eral cultivation. 



Vanda Aiiiesiana had been known for a short time pre- 

 viously. It is allied to V. Kimballiana , but differs in its 

 broader leaves and in the shape of its flowers. The 

 outer segments are white, flushed with rose, and the lip 

 is rich magenta-rose. It is very floriferous, as many as 

 fifty flowers having been counted on a spike, whilst con- 

 siderably more are stated to occur on wild plants. The 

 flowers are delicately fragrant. 



Spathogloltis V ii-llaydi . (Fig. 4, p. 93). This species is 

 the showiest of all the spathoglottis. It was introduced 

 by Linden, from the Sunda Islands, about three years 

 ago. The flowers are two inches in diameter, and their 

 color is chiefly a delicate lilac; in outline they have a 

 strong resemblance to some of the pbala?nopsis. For 

 purposes where single flowers could be utilized, such as 

 in buttonhole bouquet making, this plant would be in- 

 valuable ; the flowers are just the right size and several 

 scores are developed on each scape during the three 

 months it remains in bloom. 



Mooyea iyyoyata. — This plant flowered during the past 

 summer in the Botanic Garden at Glasnevin, Dublin, 

 and on being forwarded to Kew, was found to differ so 

 essentially from any known orchid that Mr. Rolfe 

 founded a new genus upon it. It is quite an event now 

 for a new orchid to appear that is at once sufficiently 

 distinct to constitute a new genus, and handsome enough 

 to rank as a good garden plant. The habit of the 

 moorea may be compared to that of a houlletia, having 

 tapering pseudo bulbs four-and-a-half inches high, and 

 leaves two feet long. The spike is erect, as long as the 

 leaves, and bears about a dozen flowers. These are two 

 inches in diameter, with spreading, chocolate-colored 

 sepals and petals. The three-lobed lip is bright yellow, 

 striped with lines of black purple. The flower is cer- 

 tainly very striking. The generic name is in honor of 

 Mr. Moore, the curator at Glasnevin. The plant was 

 bought at an ordinary auction sale for a maxillaria. 



Disa racciuosa. — Those who are acquainted with Disa 

 gyandijloya will be able to appreciate the beauty of this 

 species, which, except in having smaller flowers, is but 

 little inferior to it. D. gyandifloya , however, although 

 it thrives perfectly in a few localities in England, is one 

 of the most intractable of orchids in others ; but from 

 what we know of D. yacemosa at present, it is quite easily 

 cultivated. "At Kew, where D. gyandijloya is a compar- 

 ative failure, it grows well and flowers abundantly. The 

 spikes are twelve to eighteen inches high, with ten to 

 fifteen flowers on each, these being two inches across and 

 of a bright rose color. They are at their best about 

 midsummer. I would advise all who have failed with 

 D. gyandijloya to give it a trial. It can be grown at lit- 

 tle expense, requiring no more than bare protection from 

 frost. It was introduced to Kew in 1887 from S. E. 

 Africa, but is now obtainable through the trade. Another 

 extremely pretty disa, called D. iyipetaloides, has recently 

 made its appearance. It is also easily grown and 



