194 
VANDA TERES. 
will their astonishment be at all abated, but rather augmented, when we inform 
them that the cylindrical stalk-like branches which are protruded from the stem 
are considered by botanists to be perfect leaves, no doubt performing the usual 
functions of those organs, though not deciduous, and ultimately becoming true 
stems. This instance, as well as the habits of many other Orchidaceous plants, 
may afford some confirmation of the astounding theory which asserts every part of 
a plant to be a stunted branch ; as it is certain that there are many cases of the 
leaves of plants actually becoming elaborated into perfect branches. 
In its habits this plant is, in the strictest sense of the term, an Epiphyte ; con- 
sequently, it requires no soil about its roots, but merely to be secured to a block of 
wood, and its lowermost roots protected with moss, which is employed solely for 
the purpose of excluding light, and retaining a sufficient quantity of moisture, 
being wholly unnecessary when these important objects can be otherwise attained. 
It should be kept in a warm and humid part of the Orchidaceous house, and an 
excellent situation is to suspend it over the cistern (with which, we may here 
observe, the Orchidaceous house should always be furnished), where the application 
of moss to its roots will be needless, provided the house is sufficiently shaded, by 
the constant exhalations from the water kept in the cistern. It is scarcely prudent 
to keep this plant in a constant state of excitement till it has been induced to 
flower, and after this period nothing can justify the practice. 
Propagation may be effected by carefully detaching the lateral shoots after they 
have grown to the length of six or eight inches, and attaching them to another 
block of wood in a similar manner to the old ones ; but extreme caution will be 
requisite to preserve them from excision by moisture till they have recovered from 
the effects of being dissevered from the parent plant, and commenced growing. 
Its native country is Sylhet, in India, where it was first discovered upon 
trees by Dr. Wallich, superintendant of the Calcutta Botanic Garden ; it has since 
been found by Mr. William Griffith, near Medown, in the Burmese empire ; and 
we have plants of it at Chatsworth, which were brought home by His Grace the 
Duke of Devonshire's collector, in 1837, having been found by him near Pondooah, 
at the base of the Khoseea hills. 
For the drawing of this splendid plant we are obliged to J. Bateman, Esq., of 
Knypersly Hall, Cheshire, in whose excellent collection it flowered in the early 
part of the present season, and our artist was at the same time engaged in figuring 
a specimen at Messrs. Loddiges', Hackney, who alone, as far as we are awar^ 
possess saleable plants. 
The generic name is the Hindoo term of the original species. 
