48 
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
spoken of in the colony as “ snowdrops.” I notice that in books 
Maxillarias of this habit are generally written of as 
“scandent” ; but the natural habit is certainly not scandent 
hut pendent. 
On the same branches, almost always over the water, from 
which these Maxillarias hang down are a great variety of other 
Orchids, often in tangled masses. Many other species of 
Maxillaria, of the acaulescent section, cap the upper surfaces 
of the houghs in turf-like masses. From among these spring 
and, before they flower, wander far up among the tree tops, the 
long stiff stems of Sobralia sessilis, Lindl. Where the tree’s 
branches leave the trunk, in the upper angles, nestle, their 
roots crowded with large black stinging ants, clumps of Stanhopea 
eburnea, its large white flowers most gloriously beautiful, among 
all other blossoms, in texture, and more intensely yet delicately 
scented than almost any other flower known to me. It has 
always seemed to me that the peculiar character of the great 
beauty of this flower is, in some way, especially suited to the 
natural circumstances in which it grows. But even apart from 
these natural circumstances the flower is surely beautiful enough, 
despite its evanescent character, to make it a worthy object for 
cultivation. 
In similar places to those in which the Stanhopea grows, 
but generally near the ground, and so placed .that its flowers 
can rest on the vegetable debris, are the two species of Peris ter ia 
( P . pendula and P. citrina). 
Up the actual tree trunks, almost always on the side away from 
the creek and from the faint light which there prevails, closely 
cling luxuriant masses of one of the most beautiful Orchids of 
Guiana, Zygopetalum rostratum , its huge white violet-veined 
flowers standing out with almost startling clearness from the 
gloom in which it grows. On the lighter sides of the same 
tree trunks grow, not in masses, but widely scattered and 
singly, delightfully neat little plants of Paphinia cristata , its 
purple flowers, barred with white, extraordinarily difficult to see 
in the half light natural to it. 
Much in the same sort of position as the Paphinia grows 
Stenia pallida , in two forms very distinctly marked, the one by 
broad, the other by narrow leaves. Another but much rarer 
Orchid, of very similar appearance, when not in flower, to the 
