217 
EPIDENDRON FRAGRANS. 
(SWEET-SCENTED EPIDENDRON.) 
ORDER. 
MONANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
ORCIIIDEiE. 
Generic Character. — Column united with the claw of the lip, forming a tuhe. Pollen masses four. 
Specific Character. — Plant epiphyte. Stem bulbiform. Bulbs oblong, smooth, dark green, each 
terminated by one or two leaves. Leaves lanceolate, obtuse, striated, of a yellowish-green colour, 
six or eight inches long. Raceme terminal, about a span high, many-flowered. Perianth three 
outer pieces, linear-lanceolate, acute, yellow-green ; two inner segments obovate-oblong, of the same 
colour. Lip heart-shaped, ending in a sharp point, pale, and striped with purple. Column short, 
of a darker green than the sepals, within yellow. 
This species is not so remarkable for the beauty of its flowers as for the very 
delightful fragrance they emit when expanded : we cannot describe this better than 
to say, that it greatly resembles that of the flowers of hawthorn when first open in 
spring, only the scent in these is far from being so powerful as that of the Epi- 
dendron. The flowers continue without fading for a long time. 
The plant is a native of Jamaica, whence, we believe, it was first received in 
this country by Messrs. Loddiges, of Hackney, through a friend of theirs, of the 
name of Mr. R. Smith. 
The usual time of flowering is October ; but it often flowers very finely in April, 
May, July, and August. The plant from which our drawing was made, is in the 
possession of the Right Hon. Earl Fitzwilliam, Wentworth House, where it flowered 
beautifully in May last. 
It requires to be constantly kept in the stove, and should be potted as recom- 
mended in page 137. Our plants at Chatsworth increase slowly, and do not appear 
to flourish if often shifted. 
The generic name is derived from the Greek words epi, upon, and dendron, a 
tree; because in the native woods they are always growing upon the branches of 
trees, their little roots covering the outside of the bark, or hanging pendent, in 
order to absorb the exhalations constantly arising from a damp soil and dense 
underwood. The specific name is given on account of the fragrance of the flowers. 
CLASS. 
GYNANDRIA. 
VOJ«. II. NO. XXII. 
F F 
