[Plate 6?.] 



THE ROSY AIR-PLANT. 



(aerides roseum.) 



A Hothouse Epiphyte, from the East Indies, belonging to the Natural Order o f Orchids. 



Specific Character, 



THE EOSY AIR-PLANT. — Leaves coriaceous, channelled, distichous, blunt and two-lobed at the point. Spikes dense, 

 recurved. Sepals, as well as the petals, which are longer and narrowed at the base, acute. Lip lozenge-shaped, 

 acuminate, flat, entiie, with a short conical incurved spur. Ovary three-winged, as long as the lip. 



Aerides roseum : Loddigcs. A. affine : Hooker iri Botanical Magazine, t. 4049, not of AVallich. 



cx«*;oo 



THIS noble plant for many years was often confused with Aerides affine, and was 

 figured as such in the Botanical Magazine. It is, however, essentially distinct, 

 as will be shown presently. We first saw it in the possession of Messrs. Loddiges, with 

 whom a dark variety was marked No. 1530, India. Since that time it has appeared in 

 many collections. The specimen now figured was from Mr. Conrad Loddiges. 



Among the more important peculiarities of this plant are the following : — Its leaves 

 are leathery, channelled, and roundly two-lobed. The sepals and petals are acute. The 

 lip is perfectly undivided, and tapers to the point. The triangular, or, rather, three-winged 

 ovary, is as long as the lip; and finally the spikes are drooping, or curved below the 

 horizontal line. 



On the other hand, Aerides affine, of which wild specimens from Dr. Wallich, in all 

 respects agreeing with the figure in the Serlam Orclddaceum, are now before us, has 

 truncated leaves, the ends of which are even jagged, of which in A. roseum there is no 



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