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ZYGOPETALON MACKAII. 
(mr. mackay's zygopetalon.) 
class. order. 
GYNANDRIA. MONANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
ORCHIDEiE. 
Generic Character, — Petals equal, united at the base. Lip notched at the apex. Column half round. 
Specific Character Epiphyte. i?oo^ fleshy, twisted ftortuose), not branching. Bulb, ovate, wrinkled, 
marked with the scars of the decayed leaves. Leaves smooth, linear, lanceolate, sheathing, marked 
with small white streaks from the place of insertion to the apex. Scape nearly two feet long, 
compressed, scaly. Flowers five or six, large. Petals lanceolate, of a dingy yellow green colour, 
blotched with purple. Lip large, standing hoiizontally, waved, notched at the extremity, and marked 
with lines and spots of purple and blue. Column half the length of the petals, yellow green, 
marked with spots of purple. Stigma convex. Anther ovate, terminal, compressed. Pollen 
masses two, large, yellow, each with a small lobe, or pollen mass behind. Germen linear, green. 
This beautiful epiphyte was imported by Mr. Mackay, of the Dublin College 
Botanic Garden, from Brazil, sometime about 1827, when it was for the first time 
figured in the Bot. Mag., new series. Vol. 1, page 2748. 
We are obliged to Mr. Bowe, of Manchester, for the opportunity of figuring 
this species, and who kindly permitted our artist to make a drawing from his plant, 
which flowered about October last. 
This plant, which is certainly one of great beauty, may be classed amongst the 
most showy of this highly interesting family (Orchidesa). 
It may be grown with success, with the treatment given to other portions of this 
tribe. The plants at Chatsworth, which grow satisfactorily, are kept in an atmos- 
phere imperceptibly humid, averaging in temperature from 60° to 80° Fahrenheit, 
giving them at their growing seasons, spring and autumn, a liberal supply of water 
at the roots, but very rarely any over the leaves, except when the weather continues 
unusually fine for any length of time, and then only a slight sprinkling with the 
syringe early in the morning, or when the house is closed about 3 o'clock in the 
afternoon. 
The soil in which they are potted is turfy peat, broken up into pieces about an 
inch square, mixed with potsherds to ensure a good drainage. 
VOL. in NO. XXIX. o 
