August, 1914.] 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



and Hatcher at the recent Holland House 

 Show, where it was awarded a First-class 

 Certificate and generally regarded as one of 

 the most interesting and prettiest novelties 

 yet seen. The parents were M. vexillaria 

 Leopoldii and O. Rolfeae (Harryanum x 

 nobile). The influence of M. vexillaria is 

 apparent in the somewhat flat nature of the 

 flower and more especially in the well-defined 

 bi-lobation of the comparatively large 

 labellum. W ith the exception of the blotches 

 and vertical bars of colour on the base of the 

 labellum all the varied tints of rose-purple 

 spotting owe their origin to the Harryanum 

 species contained in O. Rolfeae. 



The seedling is as yet small and 

 undeveloped, but sufficient evidence has been 

 obtained of the great value of the plant from 

 a decorative standpoint and of its immense 

 utility in the hands of the hybridist. Beautiful 

 as all the many forms of M. vexillaria are, 

 they require the addition of some stronger 

 growing kind to impart a more lasting nature 

 to their flowers. Odontonia Cleverleyana 

 marks one of the most important steps in this 

 direction. 



ODONTONIA CHARLE5W0RTHII 



ONE of the finest hybrids yet seen. Such, 

 in brief, was the verdict of the R.H.S. 

 Orchid Committee when Odontonia 

 Charlesworthii received a First-class Certifi- 

 cate, July 14th, 1 9 1 4. This hybrid, which 

 bears the raiser's name, is the result of 

 crossing Odontoglossiim Uro-Skinnen with 

 Miltonia vexillaria, and, as may be seen in the 

 adjoining illustration, the characteristics of 

 both species are easily discernible. 



O. Uro-Skinneri was introduced to the 

 nursery of Messrs. Veitch and .Sons, ("helsea, 

 in the year 1854 by Mr. George I 're .Skinner, 

 where it flowered for the first time in 1859. 

 It was discovered near the village of .Santa 

 Catarina, in the district of .Solola, twenty- 

 eight leagues from Guatemala. On its first 

 appearance Dr. Liiiflley suspected it to be a 

 natural hybrid between bictoniense and some 

 such species as Cervantesii and Rossii, an 



OJonlonia Charlesworthii. 



opinion with which the discoverer of the 

 species, as it soon proved to be, did not agree. 



In the production of this h\brid Mr. 

 Charlesvvortli used O. Uro-.Skinneri incarnata, 

 a variety by no means exceeding the normal 

 size, but extremely rich in point of coloration, 

 hence the very beautiful and marvellous 

 result acliieved. The sei)als and petals are 

 heavily marbled with brownish-crimson ; the 

 comparatively immense labellum of very 

 bright rose-purple, although still showing 

 the whitish spots so characteristic of O. 

 Uro-Skinneri ; while on each side of the 



