50 PHALtENOPSIS amabilis. 
being short, broad, thick, by no means spreading, and always in a most 
healthy or luxuriant condition. The flowers are, nevertheless, its main attractions. 
They are borne on a half-erect, half-pendent spike, and are for the most part of 
the purest white, with an extremely singular labellum, the structure and markings 
of which are in the highest degree pleasing. 
The source of this species has been 
already hinted, but we may now state 
that it was sent from Manilla to Messrs. 
RolHson in 1837, by Mr. Hugh Cuming. 
Since that time it has been in flower at 
least seven or eight months during each year, 
as, if the flower-stems are carefully severed just 
below where the lowest blossoms were produced, 
they will speedily emit branches, from which 
other flowers are ultimately protruded. 
In conformity with our previous assertion that the habitude of an orchidaceous 
plant is generally an adequate guide to its treatment, the present plant palpably 
requires suspension from the roof of the house, on a block of either hard or 
partially decayed wood. A little moss may be placed over the lower part of 
its roots, in order to preserve about them a proper quantity of moisture, and it 
should be kept in a warm damp department. 
Our artist prepared the drawing here given from flowers expanded in the 
Tooting nursery in the month of March 1839. 
Phalcenopsis is compounded from phalaina^ a moth, and opsis^ resemblance,^ 
owing to the supposed similarity of the flowers to some species of moth. 
