THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[April, 1914. 



ANGR/ECUM CITRATUM. 



THE Rev. Richard Baron has thus 

 described the Flora of Madagascar : 

 " There are comparatively few 

 plants having beautiful flowers m 

 Madagascar. There are no meadows any- 

 where in the island that can at all compare 

 with our English meadows for floral beauty. 

 Neither do the forests supply what is lacking 

 in the meadows. Any one entering a 

 Malagasy forest with the anticipation of 

 seeing innumerable beautiful flowers would 

 be utterly disappointed, for they are 

 extremely rare. There are, indeed, pretty 

 flowers in the woods and in the fields, but 

 they have to be looked for ; they are so few 

 and far between that they very rarelv produce 

 any marked effect in the landscape. Of the 

 plants with beautiful flowers, the first place 

 must be given to the Orchids." 



Of the Madagascan Orchids probably the 

 Angraecums are as popular as any, their 

 many-flowered graceful spikes being always 

 attractive and full of interest to the botanist. 

 We are indebted to that remarkable man, 

 Aubert du Petit Thouars, for discovering and 

 naming several of our finest examples. As 

 long ago as 1822 he published the description 

 of Angrascum citratum, although the species 

 does not appear to have been introduced to 

 cultivation until the year 1865, when it 

 flowered with Messrs. Veitch. Even the great 

 Dr. Lindley failed to mention it in his 

 classical work, " The Genera and Species of 

 Orchidaceous Plants," published in 1830-40. 



Our reproduced photograph of a specimen 

 plant flowering with Messrs. Charlesworth 

 gives a far better idea of the plant's 

 singularity and beauty than any technical 

 description. The plants, taken on the whole, 

 do not produce more than four or five spikes, 

 and on that account must not be expected to 

 yield quite such a charm as the one depicted 

 in this issue, still there is no reason why these 

 smaller plants should not ultimately attain the 

 same dimensions, good cultivation being the 

 necessary requirement. 



The colour of the flowers is creamy-white, 

 the base of the labellum being tinged with 



light rose colour. The flowers, on fading, 

 assume a greenish-yellow colour, and this 

 may very possibly have been the condition of 

 the flowers which Thouars examined when he 

 applied the specific name citratum — citron- 

 coloured. 



The ovate dorsal sepal is hardly noticeable, 

 being smaller than the other segments and 

 thrown forward directly over the column. 

 One of the singularities is the long tail-like 

 appendage to each flower. Its first portion is 

 formed parallel with the ovary, but then turns 

 at a right angle and allows the second and 

 longest part to hang vertically ; the remaining 

 part is slightly curved, much widened, and 

 contains the nectar which is the source of 

 attraction to the insects who visit the flower, 

 and by so doing ensure its fertilisation. 



In common with all Madagascan Orchids, 

 a high temperature and an abundance of 

 atmospheric moisture are highly essential to 

 its welfare. Without these requirements 

 success is almost impossible to achieve ; even 

 strong plants fail to grow well for more than 

 a few seasons when placed in an intermediate 

 house more suitable to Cattleyas. Still, there 

 are many Orchid houses which contain a 

 sufficiently warm and suitable corner where 

 this graceful species may be cultivated. 

 Well-ventilated pans, not too large for the 

 plant's accommodation, should be selected, 

 using a light fibrous compost with ample 

 drainage material. The flowering period is 

 during the months of February, March, and 

 April. Only one thing can be said in its 

 disfavour, and that is, the flowers are 

 unscented. 



Cattleya Trian.E.- -Notwithstanding the 

 enormous number of new hybrids that have 

 been raised during the last few years, a good 

 variety of a species will always hold its 

 own when well grown. Our illustration on 

 P^gp 153 depicts a grand plant of Cattleya 

 Triana?, carrying no less than 60 blooms, in 

 the collection of Messrs. Julius Roehrs, 

 Rutherford, N.J., U.S.A. We are indebted 

 to Mr. George I'Anson for kindly supplying 

 the photograph. 



