Vanda Lowii, &c.—One often hears that Vanda Lowii does not bloom until it attains a large size. This, however, is erroneous, for we have flowered it when not more than two feet high; and we have also seen a plant of about the same size in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., with a flower spike some four or five feet long, in full beauty, with its two bright orange-yellow flowers at the base, the rest of the blossoms being of a bright brownish-crimson colour. This was a most extraordinary spike for so small a plant. When the specimens attain a larger size they often produce six of these long spikes, which extend to seven feet in length. We have one now showing this number of spikes, but the plant is fully five feet high. We were glad to see in this collection a grand mass of Epidendrum nemorale majus, which is figured in the first series of Warner’s Select Orchidaceous Plants, but we never expected to see such a specimen as that in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, which must have been three or four feet across, and had eighteen spikes of its beautiful rosy and mauve-coloured flowers. This plant was well worth going to see, as were many others: indeed, the fame of this collection is so widely spread that it is almost needless to comment upon it; suffice it to say, that it is the finest and best kept collection we know of. At the time of our visit we were pleased to see some fine plants of Cattleya superba with their splendid deep rose and crimson flowers; this is one of the most distinct and beautiful of all Cattleyas, and had been grown in the East India House, suspended from the roof.—B. S. W.
PL. 4. EPIDENDRUM VITELLINUM MAJUS.
EPIDENDRUM VITELLINUM MAJUS.
[[Plate 4].]
Native of Mexico.
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs ovate, clustered, two-leaved. Leaves oblong-ligulate, acute, sheathing at the base. Scape erect, six to nine inches high, racemose, many-flowered, longer than the leaves. Flowers brilliant orange-scarlet, nearly two inches across, much larger than the typical form; sepals spreading; petals flat, elliptic, somewhat broader than the sepals, spreading, lanceolate, acute; lip clawed, linear, abruptly acute, with a bifoveate (two-holed) callosity below the middle, deep yellow passing to orange-scarlet at the tip. Column parallel with and nearly half the length of the lip, to which it is adnate towards the base, the anther-bed marginate in front.
Epidendrum vitellinum majus, of gardens.
The original form of Epidendrum vitellinum, of which a good though pale-coloured figure will be found in the Botanical Register for 1840 (t. 35), is one of the most brilliant of the Epidendreæ, on account of its remarkable fiery colour, which makes it invaluable for contrasting with other subjects, both in the Orchid-house, in the jardinière, or in the bouquet. The same colour, or something near it, occurs in a few other Orchids, which are equally valuable from a decorative point of view, as for example in Lælia cinnabarina, Lælia harpophylla, and Ada aurantiaca, all of them being plants, which, under favourable conditions, yield a brilliant effect. The subject of our plate has the advantage of producing larger and more showy flowers than its type, and to this extent is the more desirable of the two for the house-stage, or exhibition table.
Until within the last few years this plant was very rare, but having been imported in large quantities it is now to be found in every collection, however limited its pretensions. The bright colour of its orange-scarlet flowers, produced in considerable numbers on upright spikes, renders it a most striking and distinct species. We have known the flowers to last as long as twelve weeks in perfection; in fact, we have on several occasions exhibited a plant of it at as many as six different successive exhibitions. Mixed with other Orchids it has a most telling effect; and a well-flowered specimen once seen by a novice is likely to produce a lasting impression. In the Broomfield collection it is used very largely in association with Odontoglossums, and the effect of the orange-scarlet flowers amongst the numerous spikes of Odontoglossum Alexandræ, and other species, is charming.
We have found this Epidendrum to do well in the Odontoglossum-house in a compost of peat and sphagnum moss. It does equally well in a pot or in a basket, and should receive a fair supply of water while growing. The plant seems to revel in a good amount of sunlight, but it must be kept from the burning rays of the sun by a slight shading, too much sunshine being apt to make the foliage become blotched and sickly-looking.
The variety majus blooms at a different time of the year from the original species, which has the flowers much smaller, and which blooms in August and September from the young growths; whereas the variety majus flowers from the tips of the bulbs of the previous year’s growth. There are several forms of the plant, some with flowers much larger and brighter than others; indeed, the one here figured is not so large as some that were flowered years ago, which may be due to the fact that they were old-established plants. We remember the late Mrs. Lawrence, of Ealing Park, exhibiting a remarkably strong specimen at one of the Chiswick shows, thirty-five years since, a perfect blaze of flower. S. Brunton, Esq., also exhibited a grand plant of a good variety a few years back; and C. W. Lea, Esq., Parkfield, Worcester, had a wonderful example in bloom, last year. These several plants were all part of the early importations.