Oncidium Gardneri is a compact growing plant, furnished with dark green pseudobulbs, which are from two to three inches in height. The foliage is also dark green in colour, and about six inches in length. The flowers are very freely produced in branching spikes or panicles, and are generally developed in June and July, lasting for several weeks in perfection. The sepals and petals are brown, narrowly margined with pale yellow. The lip is large, of a bright golden-yellow colour, margined with bright brown oblong parallel blotches. The flowers, moreover, are deliciously scented. There are many varieties of this plant, all of which are worth growing, since they take up but little space, and when grown in quantity, produce a good effect. We saw about fifty spikes of the different varieties, some in bloom, and others showing, in the collection of C. G. Hill, Esq., of Arnot Hill, near Nottingham, and we shall not soon forget the effect produced, as the group of plants appeared to be one mass of bloom. By cultivating plants of this character space may be economised, since they grow as freely on blocks as in baskets. We also find them to thrive well in small pans suspended from the roof of the Cattleya-house or in any situation affording them the same temperature, with very slight shading from the sun. They are best grown near the glass, so that they may get all the light possible. As a root medium, a mixture of good sphagnum moss and fibrous peat suits them best, but the plants must have good drainage, since they must be kept moist during the growing season, though when at rest a more limited supply will suffice—just sufficient being given to keep the bulbs plump, for on the other hand, it is not a plant that likes to be dried up. The bulbs sometimes shrivel when they flower too freely; if this is observed do not allow the blossoms to remain too long on the plants, as they will keep a good time in water when cut from the plant. Being of a graceful character they are well adapted for the decoration of drawing-room stands, in which, if intermixed with foliage and other flowers, they help to produce a very charming effect. Indeed no flowers are so useful as Orchids for decorative purposes, as they last so long when cut.
Lælia Dominiana rosea.—This is the finest hybrid Lælia that has come under our notice. It is the result of a cross between Cattleya Dowiana, and C. exoniensis, and the parentage is very evident in the novel form thus obtained. The lip is like that of C. Dowiana, of a rich purple-crimson, crisped at the margin; the sepals and petals are of a pale lilac colour. It is a most beautiful Lælia, and is named in honour of Mr. Dominy, who has been most successful in raising seedling Orchids. There have been many wonderful hybrids brought out by the Messrs. Veitch and Sons, through the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Dominy, who has long been known as one of the oldest and most successful of Orchid growers, and whose name will be kept in remembrance as long as Orchids are cultivated.—B. S. W.
PL. 13. DENDROBIUM SUAVISSIMUM.
DENDROBIUM SUAVISSIMUM.
[[Plate 13].]
Native of Burmah.
Epiphytal. Stems (or pseudobulbs) about a foot long, cuneately-fusiform, tapering below into a longish stalk-like base, bluntly angulate, bearing one or two pairs of leaves at the top, and invested below with close ovate membranaceous bracts. Leaves somewhat coriaceous, oblong-ligulate, cuneate at the base and acute at the apex. Flower-spikes ten to twelve inches long, bracteate at the base, terminal or nearly terminal, produced freely on the two-year-old stems. Flowers large, showy, numerous, of a brilliant yellow; sepals ligulate acute, bright golden yellow; petals broader, cuneately-oblong, obtusely-acute, of the same colour as the sepals; lip (labellum) deep bright yellow, marked on the disk with a broad curved band of rich dark sanguineous purple, almost black, cucullate, cuneate-oblong at the base, where it is folded over the column, roundish and emarginate in front, undulate and ciliolate at the margin, densely asperulous with erect acute papillæ forming a close crispy covering over the surface.
Dendrobium suavissimum, Reichenbach fil., in Gardeners’ Chronicle, N.S., i. 406; v. 756.
This fine Dendrobe, of which Reichenbach remarks:—“I believe it is one of the best Dendrobia ever imported,” was introduced in 1873 by Mr. Low, of Clapton, as recorded in the Gardeners’ Chronicle for 1874 (N.S., i. 406), where it was first described. It is again referred to in the same publication in 1876 (N.S., v. 756), where the German Professor remarks:—“The species stands indeed, as has been stated before, close to Dendrobium chrysotoxum. The flowers are smaller, the fringe is made by much shorter papillæ, the chin is shorter, the petals are narrower, the lip does not expand to an open mass, but its lateral parts keep bent over the base, thus forming a cucullate body so as to allow the beautiful dark blackish spot to be seen, and which contrasts so well with the deep yellow of the flower. There are also a few blackish streaks on each side of the base of the lip.”
Dendrobium suavissimum is one of the most beautiful species of the yellow-flowered section of this vast genus, and one that is much admired and sought after by Orchid growers. The accompanying plate is a good representation of the plant, and from this it will be seen that it is one of the most attractive of summer-flowering Orchids. Our sketch was taken from a specimen exhibited by us during the present year, at the Royal Botanic Society’s Garden in the Regent’s Park.