Odontoglossum Londesboroughianum.—We have been under the impression that this species was not so good as it was first reported to be, but we are now of a different opinion. There are no doubt many varieties of the plant, as is the case with nearly all Orchids. In their native countries they are produced freely from seeds, all of the variations not being equally good. If our collectors could only pick out the best, when in bloom, we should be saved many disappointments, but of course they cannot spend their time in doing this. We were agreeably surprised when we paid a visit to the collection of G. W. Law-Scholefield, Esq., New-Hall-Hey, Rawtenstall, near Manchester, to see a fine spike of the O. Londesboroughianum with twenty-five of its large blossoms, much finer than any we had ever seen before. The sepals and petals are yellow, barred with brown; the lip is large, of a bright golden yellow, and very showy, and, as the long spikes hung drooping among the white and coloured flowers of the other Orchids the effect was very good. No one could complain of having such a species as this, for it is a most showy flower.
Cypripedium insigne.—When calling at Mrs. Haywood’s, Norris Green, Liverpool, a few weeks ago, we were pleased to see a fine specimen of this old Orchid, which was two feet in diameter; on nearly all the numerous scapes there were two flowers, and very fine ones they were. Mr. Bardney, the gardener, informed us that they come so every year, which makes this plant the more interesting, as the character of the species is merely to produce one flower on a stalk. This plant was grown in the grand conservatory, in which there was a most wonderful display of blossom, in fact, the grandest lot of greenhouse flowers we ever remember to have seen in winter, consisting of Pelargoniumns, Primulas, Camellias, Cyclamens, and the Luculia gratissima, with 40 or 50 heads of bloom. There are not many Orchids at this place, but, what there are, are doing well, and are well looked after.
PL. 28. ZYGOPETALUM GAUTIERI.
ZYGOPETALUM GAUTIERI.
[[Plate 28].]
Native of St. Catherine’s, Brazil.
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs oblong, deeply furrowed, the younger ones ancipitous, attached to a branched creeping rhizome. Leaves fascicled, distichous, the outer ones shorter, the central ones narrowly elongate-oblong, plicate with a strongly developed costa, ten to twelve inches long, bright green. Scape issuing from the centre of the leaf-tufts, and terminating in a drooping raceme of three to six flowers, furnished with elongate-oblong amplexicaul bracts, those subtending the flowers being nearly as long as the pedicels. Flowers large, showy, green blotched with brown, the lip purple with darker purple ruff in front of the column; sepals and petals oblong, acute, nearly equal, the petals directed upwards, all pale green transversely barred and blotched with purplish brown; lip broad, three-lobed, furnished with an obtuse spur, the lateral lobes erect, rich deep purple, forming a crenated unguliform ruff or frill around the column, the middle lobe very large, two inches across, roundish, broader than long, apiculate, deep bluish purple, lighter at the edge. Column short, half surrounded by the purple ruff, arcuate, the anther case yellow, with a projecting point at the apex.
Zygopetalum Gautieri, Lemaire, Illustration Horticole, t. 535; Williams, Orchid Grower’s Manual, 5 ed., 311.
This genus of Orchids does not comprise so many species as many others, but among those which are known and introduced, are some which make very useful autumn and winter flowering subjects, and which are well adapted for decorating our stoves and Orchid houses. Amongst them occur some of the oldest of cultivated Orchids, such as are generally to be met with in good old-fashioned places. We remember to have seen plants of Zygopetalum Mackayi and Z. crinitum some thirty years ago, also of Z. maxillare—grand specimens with from seventy to a hundred flowers upon them, and a magnificent sight they were, with their numerous spikes hanging around the foliage, as represented in the plate, and being similar in colour.
The species which we now desire to bring to the notice of our readers, is a very lovely one, which has been sometimes considered as a variety of Zygopetalum maxillare, but the flowers are larger, and it not only blooms much earlier, but continues in blossom for several weeks. In addition to this, it is a much freer grower than Z. maxillare. We have had different plants in flower for several months, and then they seemed as though they would continue blooming much longer; in fact this species seems to flower whenever it makes its young growth—a peculiar feature which renders it the most useful of its class.