LESSER KNOWN ORCHIDS. 



393 



known in gardens, though in reality it has heen confounded with 

 another species which has usurped the name." Further on, "The true 

 R. antennifera is extremely rare in cultivation." Yet another impostor ! 

 Until recently the name Cymbidium Dayanum conveyed to an orchidisl's 

 mind the red-spotted variety of G. eburneum. In 1894 I purchased 

 from Messrs. Sander a plant under the name of C. pulcherrimum. 

 I sent flowers to Rolfe, who replied, " C. Dayanum." I expostulated 

 mildly, and suggested there was no resemblance between the flowers 

 I sent and those of C. eburneum. My ignorance was pointed out to me 

 in a very nice way, but I had the satisfaction of knowing that my 

 ignorance was shared by most orchid-growers. A full history of the 

 confusion will be found in the "Orchid Review" for December 1897. 

 C. Dayanum is a pretty species, nearly allied to C. yendulum ; flowers 

 pale yellow, with red lines or streaks. 



Fig. 60. — Dendbobium linguiforme. 



Mr. Ross, when gardener to Sir G. Macleay, once remarked to me, 

 "It is a pity that young gardeners know what an orchid is, as they 

 immediately seem to think some extraordinary kind of treatment is neces- 

 sary." There is much force in this remark. The name orchid seems to 

 suggest shade, heat, and moisture, but these conditions are absolutely 

 unsuitable for many species, especially so for most of the Australian 

 orchids, such as Dendrobium linguiforme (fig. GO). These plants seem 

 to grow and thrive in the dry airy atmosphere of the bulb house, espe- 

 cially when hung close to the constantly open ventilators. D. Beckleri, 

 F. Muller, is a very rare species from Australia which enjoys the conditions 

 described. It differs widely in habit from D. linguiforme, being a loose, 

 straggling grower, with terete leaves, far apart from each other on the 

 stem. Professor Henry Dixon, of Trinity College, Dublin, has made some 

 interesting microscopical studies of the leaves of some of these Australian 



