92 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[January, 1915. 



natural position. The pedicels are sheathed 

 by a small scale-like bract at the base. 



The genus was founded by the Portuguese 

 missionary and botanist, Loureiro, upon 

 Aerides odoratum, which he detected in 

 Cochin China some time prior to 1 790, the 

 year in which he published his Flora 

 cochinchinensis. The name Aerides is a 

 grammatical form called a patronymic, and 

 means literally " children of the air." 



Geographical Distribution. — The 

 Aerides are spread generally over the Indo- 

 Malayan region, excluding the and tracts in 

 the north-west of Hindostan and the dry 

 central plateau of the Deccan, where the 

 climatic conditions are unsuitable for Orchid 

 life. 



Cultural Note. — The Aendes should be 

 cultivated m what is usually called the " East 

 Indian house," where they may be associated 

 with other orchids from the Indo-Malayan 

 region. Although the mean temperature of 

 that region is one of the highest observed in 

 the world, it is found by experiment that 

 most orchids brought thence to the high 

 latitude of Great Britain thrive better in the 

 glass-houses of this country m an average 

 lower temperature than in a temperature 

 raised by artificial heat to nearly the same 

 mean as that of their native home. Thus, 

 while the mean temperature for the whole 

 year of parts of India and Malaysia, in which 

 Aerides abound, is as high as 27 degs. C. 

 rSo degs. F.), the temperature suited for them 



