DENDROBIUM SUPERBUM [MACROPHYLLUM].
[[Plate 42].]
Native of the Philippine Islands.
Epiphytal. Stems (pseudobulbs) stout, cylindrical, striated, the nodes of the flowering ones marked by the persistent scarious sheathing bases of the fallen leaves, drooping, and often attaining considerable length. Leaves alternate elliptic-oblong, acute or obtuse, subcordate at the base, nervose, thin in texture, two-ribbed. Flowers very numerous, usually in pairs from the joints of the stems, which form long floral wreaths; sepals lanceolate, plane, the lateral ones produced at the base, of a deep rich purplish magenta, varying in intensity in different forms; petals broadly oblong-ovate, somewhat undulated, of the same colour as the sepals; lip pubescent, cordate-ovate, acuminate, convolute at the base, so that with the extended front lobe it assumes something of the shape of an oblique-mouthed funnel, the margin denticulate, the basal portion of an intense sanguineous purple, appearing like two deep blotches; the front lobe purplish magenta, marked with longitudinal ribs, connected with finer transverse veins of a deeper purple, and having a transverse three-lobed callosity. Column short, included.
Dendrobium superbum, Reichenbach fil. MSS.; Id., Walpers’ Annales Botanices Systematicæ, vi., 282; Williams, Orchid Grower’s Manual, 5 ed., 180.
Dendrobium macrophyllum, Lindley, Botanical Register, 1839, misc. 46; 1844, misc. 62; Id. Sertum Orchidaceum, t. 35; Pescatorea, t. 40; Paxton’s Magazine of Botany, viii., 97.
Dendrobium macranthum, Hooker, Botanical Magazine, t. 3970; Planchon in Flore des Serres, viii, t. 757.
This is a magnificent Orchid, especially in the case of its finer varieties, whether superior on the score of size or colouration. It was first bloomed by the Messrs. Loddiges in 1839, in their wonderful plant emporium at Hackney, having been introduced by them from the Philippine Islands. A grand variety called giganteum, having flowers of immense size, is figured in Mr. R. Warner’s Select Orchidaceous Plants (1 ser., t. 26); and in respect to colour, the form of which we now give an illustration, is one of the richest and most effective we have yet seen. The materials from which our figure was prepared were obligingly sent to us by Mr. C. Penny, gardener to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, at Sandringham. It will be at once seen that the specimen in question was a well-grown example, and we understand that the plant yielded two similarly well furnished wreaths, bearing as many as forty blossoms. Besides this there are many other Orchids of superior merit to be seen in the collection at Sandringham gardens, these plants, the magnates of the vegetable world, being highly appreciated both by the Prince and the Princess of Wales.
The Dendrobiums are among the most beautiful and charming of our Indian Orchids, many of the species being of a most graceful habit of growth, and by their brightly coloured flowers imparting a remarkably picturesque character to our Orchid houses. Some of them, moreover, have delicately fragrant blossoms. In very many cases they bloom most profusely, and with their long pendent stems look well suspended from the roof of the house. Our present subject belongs to this latter class, and is one of the most showy and beautiful of the species.
Dendrobium superbum, which is more commonly known in gardens as Dendrobium macrophyllum, is a deciduous plant, losing its foliage just as it begins to blossom. It is a noble object when growing, producing stems from two to three feet long, furnished along each side with flowers growing in pairs; these flowers are four inches across, with sepals and petals of a lively magenta-rose, and a lip similar in colour, but with a purplish crimson throat. It blooms during February and March, the individual blossoms lasting about a fortnight in beauty. It thrives best when grown in a basket, and suspended from the roof. If hung up when in blossom, amongst the foliage of the other plants, the flowers are shown off to greater advantage, as it naturally blooms without foliage. It grows well in the East India Orchid house, and requires a good amount of heat and moisture during its growing season. After growth is completed it will do well in the Cattleya house during the dormant period, and when it begins to show its flower buds a little water may be given to induce the buds to swell and develop fine flowers. When the flowering season is over it may, if required, be placed in fresh sphagnum moss. It is a free growing plant, and thrives best suspended near the glass in the full light, but shaded from the burning sun. It is, indeed, absolutely necessary to give it all the light possible; and, in summer, a slight syringing when the house is closed will tend to keep the red spider and thrips in check.
Dendrobium Hillii.—There is in the collection of R. Wyatt, Esq., Lake House, Cheltenham, a very fine specimen of this cool Orchid, which has been bearing numerous spikes of blossom, some of the spikes being as much as twenty inches in length. The specimen was a most beautiful object, with its long racemes of creamy white blossoms, which proceed from the apices of its thick fleshy pseudobulbs; it has, moreover, dark green foliage. This plant was growing in the conservatory, and had continued in bloom for about two months, so that it is a most useful subject for winter decoration. It is a very old Orchid, but is worth cultivating, especially as it will grow in a conservatory or in any cool house. There was also in the same collection a very fine variety of Cypripedium villosum, one of the best we have seen, the flowers being wonderfully bright in colour, and of large size. Of Lycaste Skinneri there was a well-grown plant, with very fine flowers, the sepals and petals being broad and pure white, and the front portion of the lip bright magenta, with the throat white.
PL. 43. ODONTOGLOSSUM ALEXANDRÆ FLAVEOLUM.