CYMBIDIUM PENDULUM, VAR. BREYILABRE. 
SHORT-LIPPED THICK-LEAVED CYMBIDIUM/ 
Class XX. GYNANDRIA. Order I. MONANDRIA. 
Natural Order, ORCHIDACEiE. — THE ORCHIS TRIBE. 
As far as our experience goes, the ordinary variations to which Orchidaceae are subject, are in all respects 
analogous to what is met with in other plants, and as is exemplified by the plant before us from Sincapore, 
in which, while the lip becomes shorter, broader, and with a much blunter middle lobe, every thing else 
remains so exactly the same, that nobody can entertain a doubt about the specific identity of the plant with 
Cymbidium pendulum. The vertical plates of the lip, in particular, are quite unchanged, shewing, as we 
find it always shewn, that the elevations and processes of the surface of the lip are of the utmost importance 
in considering the limits of species. 
The variations that experience tells us occur in the structure of the same species of tropical Orchi- 
dacete are principally in colour and size, just in fact as happens in those of Europe. Our common wild 
Orchises have purple or white flowers indifferently, and in some specimens they are much larger than in 
others, as is more particularly shewn by Orchis latifolia. Just so with the epiphytes. The flowers of 
Catasetum tridentatum, for instance, are spotted or quite green, and much larger in some varieties than in 
others. The well known Oncidia ornithorhynchum and ampliatum exhibit great differences in the size and 
depth of colour of their flowers; so do Lycaste Skinneri and Cattleya Forbesii; indeed, if one can judge 
from Mr. Hartweg’s collection, it is very common for species found on the west of the Cordilleras to have 
much smaller flowers than when they occur on the east side. As to differences in form again, the greater 
or less breadth of the petals and the lobes of the lip is very uncertain in orchis militaris and its allies; and 
in the same way Catasetum tridentatum, Cyrtochilum maculatum, and other epiphytes differ among them- 
selves. But so far as is yet known, there is nothing peculiar in the tendency to variation among tropical 
Orchidaceae, beyond what we find in all other plants, with the exception, of the masquerading species of 
Catasetum and Cycnoches. 
It should be grown in turfy heath-mould, of rather closer texture than that commonly used for Orchi- 
daceous plants. The pot should be well drained, in order that all superfluous water may pass off freely, 
otherwise the roots will perish. Like some other species of the genus, this requires an ample supply of 
water at all times; and the atmosphere to be kept as moist as possible, especially during the growing season. 
To prevent the leaves from being scorched, the house should be slightly shaded in sunny weather. In 
summer the temperature should never be allowed to rise much above 80° by day, nor to fall below 68° at 
night; but in winter it should never be raised higher than 64° by artificial means. 
This morning as we sat at breakfast, thinking, says a popular writer, with our eyes fixed on a set of 
the British Poets, which stand us instead of a prospect, there came by the window, from a child’s voice, a 
cry of “ Wall-flowers.” There had just been a shower; sunshine had followed it ; and the rain, the sun, the 
boy’s voice, and the flowers, came all so prettily together upon the subject we were thinking of, that in 
taking one of his roots, we could not help fancying we had received a present from Nature herself, — with a 
penny for the bearer. There were thirty lumps of buds on this penny root ; their beauty was yet to come ; 
but the promise was there, — the new life, — the Spring, — and the rain-drops were on them, as if the sweet 
goddess had dipped her hand in some fountain, and sprinkled them for us, by way of message ; as who 
should say, “April and 1 are coming.” 
What a beautiful word is spring ! At least one fancies so, knowing the meaning of it, and being used 
to identify it with so many pleasant things. An Italian might find it harsh ; and object to the Sp and the 
terminating consonant ; but if he were a proper Italian, a man of fancy, the worthy countryman of Pe- 
trarch and Ariosto, we could convince him, that the word was an excellent good word, crammed as full of 
beauty as a bud, — and that S had the whistling of the brooks in it, p and r the force and roughness of what- 
soever is animated and picturesque, ing the singing of the birds, and the whole word the suddenness and 
salience of all that is lively, — Spring, Spring-time, a Spring-green; a Spring of water — to Spring — Springal, 
a word for a young man, in old (that is, ever new) English poetry, which with many other words has gone 
out, because the youthfulness of our hearts has gone out, — to come back with better times. 
Quit the carking cares of the world, — come with me for a day into the country — and thou wilt be the 
* We are indebted to Dr. Lindley’s charming work, the Botanical Register, for the figure and description. 
