PL. CCCIV. 
SELENIPEDIUM x CALURUM nicholson. 
THE BEAUTIFUL-TAILED SELENIPEDIUM. 
SELENIPEDIUM. Sepala patentia, posticum liberum, lateralia sub labello ad apicem connata. Petala libéra, 
nunc sepalis multo angustiora interdum longe candata, nunc sepalis sublatiora obtusa. Labellum sessile, patens, inflato- 
calceiforme (nisi abnorme). Columna brevis, teres. Antherae perfectae 2, ad latera rostelli sessiles v. brevissime stipitatae, 
subglobosae, loculis parallelis contiguis; pollen granulosum, viscosum ; staminodium pone rostellum erectum v. incum- 
bens, late laminiforme v. carnosum, Rostellum inter antheras perfectas breve, erectum v. antrorsum inclinatum, apice in 
discum subtus papilloso-stigmatosum dilatatum. Ovarium perfecte 3- loculare. Capsula elongata, 3- locularis. 
Herbae terrestres, rhizomate brevi v. repente, caule erecto varie foliata. Pedunculus terminalis, simplex v. ramo- 
sus, pauci- v. multiflorus. Stores speciosi v. rarius médiocres, pedicellati. 
Species circa 12, Americae tropicae montanae incolae. 
Selenipedium Rchb. F. in Bonplandia, II, p. 116. — Benth et Hook. f. Gen. Plant., III, p. 635. 
TJropedium Lindl. Or ch. Linden, p. 28. 
Selenipedium X calurum. Hybridum inter «S. longifolium Ç et S. X Sedeni çf productum. Folia elongato-linearia, 
acuta. Scapi erecti, multiflori. Bracteae lanceolatae, acutae. Flores speciosi. Sepalum posticum ovato-ellipticum, subob- 
tusum ; inferum subrotundo-ellipticum, concavum. Petala anguste lanceolata, attenuata. Labellum calceiforme, margine 
crenulatum. Staminodium latissime obcordato- triangulum, lateribus ciliatis. 
Selenipedium X calurum Nicholson Dict. of Gard., III, p. 413. — Desbois Monogr. Cypriped., p. 144. 
Cypripedium X calurum Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron., 1881, pt. 1, p. 41. — Florist & Pomol., 1884, p. 145, t. 619. 
— Warn. & Will. Orchid Album, III, t. 136. 
his beautiful hybrid was originally raised in the establishment of 
Messrs James Veitch & Sons, of Chelsea, by M. Seden, and flowered 
for the first time in 1881. It was obtained by Crossing S. longifolium 
with the pollen of S. X Sedeni , and is thus extremely near to S. X Ainsworthii, 
whose only différence, so far as the parentage is concerned, is that S. Roezlii 
instead of S. longifolium was used as the seed parent. S. Roezlii , however, can 
only be considered a geographical variety of S. longifolium , and the hybrids differ 
only in very slight characters. 
I believe the same cross has since been raised in other establishments. 
The history of this particular group of hybrids is a very interesting one, 
and their importance as décorative plants can scarcely be over-estimated. The 
first of the sériés was vS. X Sedeni, said to hâve been the first hybrid raised by 
Mr. Seden, which was described in 1873, and distributed in the following year. 
It was obtained by Crossing S. Schlimii with the pollen of S. longifolium , and 
also from the reverse cross. No tangible différence is said to hâve been dis- 
cernible between the plants raised from the two crosses, either in habit, or in 
the structure and colour of the flower. This cross was a great achievement, both 
in itself, and for the results which were to follow. The one parent has a small 
but pretty flower, coupled with a somewhat weak habit; the other a vigorous and 
