25 
CCELOGYNE WALLICHIANA. 
(dr. WALLICH's CCELOGYNE.) 
CLASS, ORDER. 
GYNANDRIA. MONANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
ORCHIDACE^. 
Generic Character. — Sepals connivent oi' spreading, free, equal, similar in colour to the petals. Petals 
occasionally resembling the sepals, but sometimes linear. Labellum cucallate, frequently three - 
lobed, with depressed streaks or crests on its surface, but sometimes quite entire, and without crests. 
Column erect, free, with a winged margin, expanding at the summit, or cucullate, with a two-lipped 
stigma. Anthers two-celled, covered, not divisible in the middle ; inserted below the apex of the 
column. Pollen-masses four, free, inclining to one side ; occasionally cohering. 
Specific Character. — Leaves lanceolate, plaited. Labellum indistinctly three-lobed ; middle one ovate, 
toothed, two-lobed at the extremity, entire, with a pointlet ; lateral lobes imperceptible ; surface 
crested, with five incomplete teeth ; having a short spur at the base. Column divided at the summit, 
inferior lip of the stigma tapering gradually into three abrupt points. 
Rarely is the signal beauty of this charming plant excelled, even amongst 
Orchidacete. The compactness and elegance of its habits, its singularly moulded 
and prettily mottled pseudo-bulbs, and the remarkable comparative size and 
showiness of its flowers, constitute it a perfect gem of its class, and ensure for it 
unexceptionable favour. 
His Grace the Duke of Devonshire's collector, Mr. J. Gibson, found this species 
growing most abundantly on the Khoseea Hills, in Eastern India, and specimens 
were received at Chatsworth in the autumn of 1837- It inhabits almost every 
variety of locality on the summit of those hills, sometimes attaching itself to rocks, 
either on the arid knoll or washed by the mountain rivulets, but is more frequently 
met with on the branches of trees, in shady and moist woods. Occasionally it is 
seen in situations fully exposed to the influence of the sim, but it evidently thrives 
in greater perfection where partially shaded from its blaze. 
The habits, and consequently the cultivation, of this plant are rather peculiar. 
Its pseudo-bulbs are of only annual duration, and shed all their foliage previous to 
the production of flowers. This will account for the absence of that feature in our 
figure. As with many other plants of the tribe, the flowering is the immediate 
precursor of the growing season. The former of these occurs about the commence- 
ment of cold weather, or usually in the month of November. At this period, the 
flower-shoots are seen to protrude themselves from the base of the pseudo-bulbs ; 
and, after the blossoms have faded, the sheath which envelops their peduncle 
expands at the base, ultimately exhibiting a perfect new bulb. When these latter 
VOL. VI. — NO. LXII. E 
