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TH1-: ORCHID \VORLD. 



[July, 1914. 



petals. A pure white form is also known, and 

 has been recorded under the names virginalis, 

 Wallisii, and alba, the latter being the most 

 suitable. The variety known as virginalis 

 rosea has pure white sepals and petals and a 

 rose-purple blotch on the front of the 

 labellum. 



?jS 



Rapid Formation of Seed. — Although 

 the majority of Orchids require a period of 

 twelve months in which to form and ripen 

 their seed there are a few notable exceptions 

 to the rule. One of these is in the genus 

 Eulophiella. Last summer Mr. Charlesworth 

 fertilised E. Elisabethae with the pollen of 

 E. Hamelinii, the seed ripening in the 

 remarkably short period of three months, 

 while at the expiration of four months several 

 healthy seedlings were in existence. The 

 event was so unusual that it was decided to 

 repeat the experiment during the following- 

 season. Accordingly, on March 3rd of this 

 year, the same two species were intercrossed, 

 Elisabethae and Hamelinii each carrying a 

 pod. On June 4th, exactly three months 

 after pollination, both pods were fully ripe 

 and contained a fair quantity of excellent 

 seed. From these results we may conclude 

 that with these species the normal period of 

 fructification does not exceed the compara- 

 tively short period of three months. 



U U U 



Ornithocephalus grandiflorus. — It 

 has often been remarked that the smaller the 

 flower so much the more remarkable is its 

 structure. O. grandiflorus is no exception to 

 the rule, indeed, it is one of the most curious. 

 The genus was formed by Hooker, and the 

 specific name applied by Lindley. It is 

 commonly known as the " Bird's Head 

 Orchid " by reason of the long tail-like gland 

 attached to the pollen masses. No satis- 

 factory decision has ever been given regarding 

 this unusually extended organ. In Cattleyas 

 the usual size of the caudicle connecting 

 the actual pollen grains with the viscid gland 

 is rarely more than an eighth of an inch in 



length, but in the subject of this note, which 

 IS a very much smaller flower, it is fully half 

 an inch long, while the position of the gland 

 IS not where one would expect it — just where 

 the insect's head would be when visiting the 

 flower — but placed near the end of the 

 labellum furthest from the column. Exactly 

 how fertilisation is accomplished is by no 

 means certain. The plant is dwarf growing, 

 and produces scapes from the axils of the 

 leaves. The flowers, which measure about 

 4 inch across, are white, each segment having 

 an emerald-green blotch at its base. We are 

 indebted to Mr. F. C. Puddle, Scampston 

 Hall Gardens, Rillington, York, for sending 

 an excellent example. 



Vi S.S 



Phal,^:nop&is Schilleriana. — The 

 remarkably fine display of Phalasnopsis 

 Schilleriana depicted on page 205 of our last 

 issue has brought forth many enquiries 

 concerning the method of cultivation adopted 

 m the Imperial Garden. The following 

 details will therefore be of interest : — During 

 the summer months the temperature of the 

 Phalasnopsis house varies from 85-95 degs. 

 Fahr., and even higher when bright sunshine 

 is present; at night time it falls to 7S-8S- 

 In winter a day temperature of 70-80 degs. is 

 maintained, rising with sun heat ; at night it 

 falls to 65-70. The plants receive a plentiful 

 supply of water and atmospheric moisture 

 during the summer, but in winter they are 

 watered rather sparingly, although moisture in 

 the atmosphere is always present. In the 

 Japanese climate shading is found to be 

 beneficial throughout the whole year. 



U U U 



Oncidium crispum. — This species, a 

 native of Brazil, was introduced by Loddiges 

 in the year 1832. The large flowers are 

 carried on branching upright stems, and are 

 of an uncommon brownish colour, except the 

 column and the centre of the labellum, which 

 are yellow. An unusually large and attrac- 

 tive form is in the collection of Mr. John 

 Hartley, The Knowle, Morley, who kindly 



