48 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



spoken of in the colony as " snowdrops." I notice that in books 

 Maxillarias of this habit are generally written of as 

 "scandent"; but the natural habit is certainly not scandent 

 but pendent. 



On the same branches, almost always over the water, from 

 which these Maxillarias hang down are a great variety of other 

 Orchids, often in tangled masses. Many other species of 

 Max Maria, of the acaulescent section, cap the upper surfaces 

 of the boughs in turf-like masses. From among these spring 

 and, before they flower, wander far up among the tree tops, the 

 long stiff stems of Sobralia sessilis, Lindl. Where the tree's 

 branches leave the trunk, in the upper angles, nestle, their 

 roots crowded with large black stinging ants, clumps of Stanhopea 

 ebumea, its large white flowers most gloriously beautiful, among 

 all other blossoms, in texture, and more intensely yet delicately 

 scented than almost any other flower known to me. It has 

 always seemed to me that the peculiar character of the great 

 beauty of this flower is, in some way, especially suited to the 

 natural circumstances in which it grows. But even apart from 

 these natural circumstances the flower is surely beautiful enough, 

 despite its evanescent character, to make it a worthy object for 

 cultivation. 



In similar places to those in which the Stanhopea grows, 

 but generally near the ground, and so placed that its flowers 

 can rest on the vegetable debris, are the two species of Peristeria 

 (P. pendula and P. citrina). 



Up the actual tree trunks, almost always on the side away from 

 the creek and from the faint light which there prevails, closely 

 cling luxuriant masses of one of the most beautiful Orchids of 

 Guiana, Zygopetalum rostratum, its huge white violet-veined 

 flowers standing out with almost startling clearness from the 

 gloom in which it grows. On the lighter sides of the same 

 tree trunks grow, not in masses, but widely scattered and 

 singly, delightfully neat little plants of Paphinia cristata, its 

 purple flowers, barred with white, extraordinarily difficult to see 

 in the half light natural to it. 



Much in the same sort of position as the Paphinia grows 

 Stenia pallida, in two forms .very distinctly marked, the one by 

 broad, the other by narrow leaves. Another but much rarer 

 Orchid, of very similar appearance, when not in flower, to the 



