DENDROBIUM ANOSMUM. 
(Scentless Dendrobe.) 
Class. 
GYNANDRIA. 
Order. 
MONANDR 
Natural Order. 
ORCHID ACE JE. 
(Orchids, Veg, King.) 
Generic Character.— Sepals membranaceous, erect, 
or spreading ; lateral ones largest, connate with the 
column at the base. Petals often much larger than 
the sepals, sometimes smaller, always membranaceous. 
Labellum jointed, or connate with the foot of the 
column, always sessile, undivided or three-lobed, com- 
monly membranaceous, sometimes appendiculate. 
Column semi-cylindrical, much prolonged at the base. 
Anthers two-celled. Pollen-masses four. 
Specific Character. — Plant an epiphyte. Stems 
strong, pendulous. Leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse, dis- 
tinctly nerved, subcordate at the lower part. Sepals 
ovate-lanceolate. Petals oblong, or oblong-lanceolate, 
somewhat wavy. Labellum somewhat rounded, acute. 
Authorities and Synonyjyies. — Dendrobium Swartz ; 
D. anosmum Lindley, in Bot. Reg., v. 31, 41 descrip. 
This very handsome plant exhibited its charming flowers in the nursery of 
Messrs. Loddiges, Hackney, in May, 1847, when oar drawing was made. It 
approaches very near to Dendrobium macrophyllum of Mag. Bot. vol. viii., t. 97, 
D. macranthum of Hooker's Bot. Mag., t. 3970, and might possibly prove only a 
variety of that species. That eminent botanist, Dr. Lindley, has the following 
remarks respecting it in his Botanical Register, vol. xiii., p. 41, Description, 
Although the plant resembles D. macrophyllum, yet " 1. its flowers are scentless, 
not having the strong odour of rhubarb, like those of D. macrophyllum ; 2. they are 
of a smaller size; and 3. all the divisions of the flower are shorter, broader, and 
even, instead of undulating. Whether or not it is really a species experience will 
show : it is at all events a remarkable variety." 
D. anosmum belongs to that class of Dendrobes usually termed caulescent ; the 
stems grow a foot or eighteen inches long, are slender, pendulous, and whilst young 
of a yellow green, and covered with strong leaves ; when the stems ripen, the leaves 
are shed, and towards the extremities of the naked stems the flowers are produced 
in pairs, on short peduncles. Our drawing gives a good idea of them ; they are of a 
delicate lilac colour, relieved by a deep crimson-purple labellum, the latter having a 
narrow margin of pure white, and the annexed woodcut is an excellent illustration of 
the habit of the plant. 
VOL. XV. NO. CLXXIII. O 
