flowered for the first time in Europe in June 1825, in the collection of William 
Griffin, Esq., of South Lambeth. It has been known since 1704, being men- 
tioned in the third édition of Ray’s Historia Plantarum as “ Orchis Africana flore 
singulari herbacea. ” 
Bolus speaks of it as “ the peerless Disa uniflora, ” and observes — “ This 
beautiful flower is the object of universal admiration, and the name which has 
been given to it, the “ Pride of Table mountain, ” indicates the honour in 
which it is held. It is, indeed, the queen of terrestrial Orchids in the Southern 
Hemisphere, as Cypripedium spectabile may be said to reign, though with less 
magnificence, in the Northern. ” He further observes — “ It is still abundant on 
Table mountain, although of late years large quantifies of the tubers hâve been 
annually exported to Europe, and much needless destruction, arising from 
wasteful gatheringby unskilled hands, resulted. But the summit of the mountains 
being Crown-land, the Government has recently intervened, and restricted the 
removal of tubers within reasonable limits ; so that, if this supervision be 
continued, there will be little reason to fear the extinction of this truly noble 
species. ” 
It was originally described by Bergius as Disa uniflora , in 1767, and is the 
species upon which the genus was founded. The younger Linnaeus, however, 
considering the spécifie name inappropriate, as the plant has usually more than 
one flower, changed it to Disa grandiflora — a course only justifiable when a 
name is found to be inaccurate, as in the présent instance. Ordinary specimens 
produce from one to five flowers, but the variety superba has sometimes as many 
as nine, and M r B. S. Williams, in the Orchid Grower’s Manual , records 
receiving from Chatsworth a raceme two and a half feet long, and bearing no 
less than twelve flowers. This, however, is an exceptional example. 
It is probably the handsomest member of the genus, but there are two or 
three others which are well worthy of more attention. A handsome hybrid 
has recently been raised between this species and D. rosea , by Messrs James 
Veitch & Sons, of Chelsea, to which the name of D. X Veitchii has been given. 
R. A. Rolfe. 
