60 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
ation of all who behold them, either for their minute curiosity 
or gorgeous splendour, perform most important functions in the 
grand scheme of creation, displaying another link of the harmony 
which exists in all created matter. 
The genus Stanhopea was so named by Sir William Jackson 
Hooker, in compliment to Earl Stanhope, president of the 
Medico-botanical Society, and a great patron of horticulture. 
It comprises upwards of seventy species and varieties, which 
have a widely-extended geographical range over the greater por¬ 
tion of the South American Continent and adjacent islands. 
The first importation occurred in 1824, when the species 
grandifiora was brought from Trinidad, to excite the surprise of 
British cultivators with its large, pure white, ivory-like flowers. 
The admiration consequent on the production of the flowers of 
this species was gradually increased by the successive intro¬ 
duction of S. insignis, S. oculata, and S. eburnea, together with 
some varieties of the two first, until it reached a climax by the 
amazing richness and variety of colouring displayed on the 
extraordinary forms presented by the blossoms of S. tigrina, 
S, Wardii S. Devoniana , quadricornis , saccata, and Harrisonice , 
which were all introduced within a few months of each other in 
the year 1836. Lately, however, varieties have increased almost 
ad infinitum , especially of the species oculata and insignis ; of 
tigrina also there are several, varying both in size and colour. 
That represented in our accompanying plate possesses the ntost 
intensely-coloured markings of them all, which, combined with 
its large size and bold habit, concurs to render it the most highly 
esteemed of Stanhopeas. The flowers of this plant are produced 
in pairs on a short stem, which proceeds in a downward direc¬ 
tion from the base of the pseudo-bulb, penetrating through the 
mass of earth in which the plant is grown, until it attains the 
exterior of the basket, at a short distance from which the flowers 
are unfolded. The specimen from which our drawing was taken 
formed part of the rich collection of Messrs. Rollison, of 
Tooting, Surrey, and at the time had fifteen pairs of flowers fully 
developed, presenting in the whole a most gorgeous object. 
We have before (at p. 173. Vol. IV.) given an outline of the 
cultivation of this genus; but it may be necessary, for the benefit 
of new subscribers, to repeat the substance of those remarks. 
From what we have just mentioned respecting the manner in 
which these plants grow, and produce their flowers, it will be 
