Phalænopsis Stuartiana nobilis resembles P. Schilleriana in the young growth, its newly developed leaves being of the same shape and colour and similarly spotted, but the older leaves assume more of the character of P. amabilis; while the flowers, instead of being mauve-coloured, are pure white, with the inferior halves of the lateral sepals yellow and boldly spotted with cinnamon-red, as also is a portion of the lip, the side lobes of which bear smaller and more closely set spots. We have little doubt that this plant is a wild hybrid between P. Schilleriana and P. amabilis, as though the young leaves come spotted, they afterwards change to the colour of those of P. amabilis, as already described.
This plant requires the same treatment as P. Schilleriana, and is best grown among sphagnum moss in baskets suspended from the roof, care being taken to give it a good supply of water during the growing season. It should have the heat of the East India house, and should at all times be kept moist at the roots, for if allowed to become dry, it will loose its lower leaves. If the plants are in a healthy and free-growing condition, flowering does not injure them; but, if at all sickly, they should not be allowed to blossom until they regain strength and vigour, as they are naturally free-flowering plants, and under such circumstances might bloom themselves to death. The moss about their roots must be sweet and in a living state; when it becomes decayed it should be removed, the roots washed, and the plant replaced in clean live moss with fresh free drainage, so that the water, of which a considerable quantity is required, may never become stagnant. Shading is an important element in the successful cultivation of these plants; therefore the sun, when at its full power in summer, must never be allowed to shine upon them, but in winter a little sun-heat is beneficial, and they then require all the light which it is possible to give them. Neither drip, nor water in any other form, must be suffered to reach the hearts of the plants, as it causes them to rot.
Insects are troublesome at times. The thrips, if allowed to multiply, will greatly disfigure the plants, causing damage by depriving them of the juices which should go to sustain their vigour. When free from such pests, and in a healthy condition, the leaves of the Phalænopsids have a pleasing appearance; and, if they are well looked after, it will not be difficult to keep them clean, the more especially as being of large size, they can be readily operated upon.
PL. 40. ODONTGLOSSUM KRAMERII.
ODONTOGLOSSUM KRAMERI.
[[Plate 40].]
Native of Costa Rica.
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs nearly orbicular, much compressed, ancipitous or sharply two-edged, one and a-half inch in diameter, pale green. Leaves solitary, oblong-lanceolate, acute, keeled, six to eight inches long, one and a-half to two inches broad, light green, with a smooth even surface. Scapes radical, four to six inches long, shorter than the leaves, three to five flowered, drooping or ascending, flexuous, pale green, with small appressed bracts and longish peduncles. Flowers one and a-half inch or more across, and delicately coloured; sepals oblong acute, rosy lilac with a white margin; petals about equalling the sepals in size, and similar to them in form and colour; lip with a short stout neck, deeply hollowed in front, with two erect calli, the lateral lobes semi-ovate, narrow, deflexed, the much larger middle lobe three-fourths of an inch broad, roundish reniform, emarginate, bearing at the base a pair of erect lamellæ, the unguis or neck yellow spotted with red, the front lobe deep rosy lilac, marked near its base with two semi-circular bands of white and purplish rose. Column short, thick, white in front.
Odontoglossum Krameri, Reichenbach fil., in Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1868, 98, with woodcut; Hooker fil., Botanical Magazine, t. 5778; Bateman, Monograph of Odontoglossum, t. 24; Williams, Orchid Growers’ Manual, 5 ed., 236; Floral Magazine, t. 406 (as O. Kremeri.)
This is a most charming small-growing Orchid, with remarkably pretty delicately coloured flowers. It is at the present time very rare in collections, and, in fact, had become almost lost to cultivation, but fortunately during the last year a small number of plants was imported into this country and distributed. Our drawing was made from a plant which formed part of this importation, and which produced its chastely coloured blossoms in the Victoria Nursery. Many years ago we remember to have seen a fine lot imported by the late George Ure Skinner, Esq., but since then it has until last year disappeared from our notice. We are, however, glad to see it again making its appearance in our Orchid-houses; for, as will be seen by reference to our illustration, it is a plant of a most distinct and pleasing character, and will be a real acquisition to the group of Odontoglots, of which numerous highly popular species are at present in cultivation.
Odontoglossum Krameri is a plant of compact-growing habit, with small flattened light green pseudobulbs, each producing from the top a solitary leaf of a pale green colour. The plant generally attains about ten inches in height. The flower spikes or peduncles are freely produced from the base of the pseudobulbs after they have completed their growth, several flowers being produced on each peduncle. The sepals and petals are of a rosy lilac colour, margined with white; the lip is also rosy lilac, but of a darker shade, flushed with yellow and marked and spotted with purple at the neck, and having two semi-circular bands of dark purplish rose and white near the base. The plants continue in bloom for several weeks.