265 
DENDROBIUM CAMBRIDGEANUM. 
(duchess of Cambridge's dendrobium.) 
CLASS. OllDEH, 
GYNANDRTA. MONOGYNIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
ORCHIDACE^. 
Generic Character. — Vide vol. iii. p. 77. 
Specific Character. — Plant epiphytal, caulescent. Stems peculiarly pendent, thick, fleshy, slightly 
flexuose, enlarging a little at the articulations, from nine inches to a foot long. Leaves lanceolate, 
very acute. Flowers solitary, or in pairs, springing from the joints opposite the leaves. Sepals 
and petals entire, almost equal, ovate-lanceolate, acute. Lahellum entire, ovate, acute, concave, 
dark purple. 
We have great pleasure in supplying a figure of this new and highly beautiful 
Dendrobium^ which, having flowered at Chatsworth during a visit of Her E-oyal 
Highness the Duchess of Cambridge to the noble occupant of that domain in 
the month of October last, has, by* the express desire of His Grace, and with Her 
Royal Highness's condescending consent, received the above appellation. 
The specimen from which our drawing was prepared, and which blossomed at 
the period already mentioned, was brought to Chatsworth by His Grace the Duke 
of Devonshire's botanical collector, Mr. J. Gibson, in the autumn of 1837, from the 
East Indies. It was found growing on the Khoseea hills, at an elevation of 4000 
feet, and attaching itself to rocks or trees. Although, when depending from objects 
of the latter description, an impenetrable shade is afforded in the growing season, 
it may be useful to state that it is frequently seen clinging to the faces of rocks in 
situations fully exposed to the rays of the sun. 
It differs from all other species either grown in the Chatsworth collection, or 
figured or described in any work to which we have access, in the remarkably 
drooping character of its stems and their striking tendency to obesity. It is also 
perfectly distinct in the hues of its flowers, the exterior portions of these being 
somewhat similar in colour to those of D. Jlmhriatum, but decidedly paler, while 
the lip is of a fine bright purple. The disposition of the blossoms is, moreover, 
VOL. VI. NO. LXXII. M M 
