PAXTON’S 
MAGAZINE OF GARDENING AND BOTANY. 
CALANTHE VESTITA. (Clothed Calanthe.) 
Class, Gynandria. Order, Monandria. Nat. Order, Orchidace^e. (Orchids, Veg. King.) 
Generic Character.— Labellum spreading, spurred, cut 
into three or four lobes, united with the column, base 
dentate, bearded. Sepals spreading. Anthers terminal. 
Operculum deciduous. Pollen Masses eight, waxy. 
Specific Character.— Leaves radical, 18 inches or more 
high, of a rich green, plaited, nerved, lanceolate, channelled, 
tapering towards the base. Scapes several, 3 feet high, 
simple, upright, round, covered with numerous white hairs ; 
sheaths small, lanceolate, close-pressed. Flower-spikes ter- 
minal, upright, extending to a foot in length ; bracts small. 
Flowers villous on the outside, large, pure white, stained in 
the centre with crimson. Sepals reflexed, nearly equal, two 
inner segments rather narrowest. Labellum much longer 
than the sepals, continuous with the lower side of the apex 
of the column, forming an apparent appendage to it, three- 
parted, two side segments rounded, middle one bifid, the 
whole pure white, with deep crimson at the base. Column 
short, thick. 
Authorities and Synonymes. — Amblyglottis, Blume. 
Alismorchis, Thouars. Centrosia, Achille Richard. Limo- 
dorum, Willd. Calanthe, Brown. Calanthe vestita, Bindley, 
in Hort. Jour., and of the Nurseries. 
A fine terrestrial Orchid, introduced by Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Exeter, through their 
collector, Mr. Lobb, who discovered it at Moulmein, and forwarded it with many other 
valuables about two years ago. 
A more delicately beautiful species of Calanthe could perhaps be scarcely conceived ; 
the flower spike is slender, and well clothed with large flowers of the most delicate 
white ; the centre is stained with deep and rich crimson, which renders the plant when in 
bloom extremely interesting. 
The specimen from which our drawing w r as made bloomed in profusion in November, 
1848, in the stove of Messrs. Veitch, who exhibited it at the Horticultural Rooms, Regent 
Street, when the large silver medal was awarded for its merits. It is without doubt by 
far the handsomest species of Calanthe hitherto discovered. 
The plant is of easy culture, growing freely in a mixture of light turfy loam and peat, 
with the addition of a small portion of leaf-mould. A light airy part of the orchid house 
is the best for them, as otherwise the flowers do not expand freely : care must also be 
taken not to saturate them with water at the roots but give only a moderate supply, 
except when the plants are in the most vigorous growth. In times of torpidity, keep cool 
and dry. Propagate by division of the root. 
The generic name is derived from kalos beautiful, and anthos a flower. 
VOL. i. — no. v. 
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