Lælia Perrinii is an evergreen plant, with dark green foliage and pseudobulbs, the leaves being about a foot high, and the pseudobulbs ten inches. The flower-spikes proceed from the top of the bulbs, and issue from a sheathing bract; they appear after the plants have completed their growth. The sepals and petals are of a light tint of magenta colour, while the lip is of a dark purple-crimson, with a rich yellow throat. The species blooms in October and November, and continues for about two weeks in perfection.
It requires the same treatment as Cattleya Mossiæ, and is best grown in a pot with good drainage and fibrous peat. It must be kept moist at the roots during the growing season, but after it has completed its growth less water will do, that is, merely enough to keep the roots and leaves in a plump state. When it recommences to grow a little water may be applied to encourage it to make strong growths, which are the precursors of finer flowers. The plants must be always fully exposed to light by being kept near the glass.
Orchids at Bickley.—A recent visit to Oldfield, the residence of F. A. Philbrick, Esq., Q.C., reminds us of the grand collection of Orchids in Avenue Road, Regent’s Park, many of the best of which were sold on Mr. Philbrick changing his residence. It is surprising to find the rapid way in which a new collection is now being grown and brought together in the new place. Houses had to be built, and the plants removed from one garden to the other, which, of course, involves more or less of injury. It is now twelve months since we visited this place, and the change that has taken place in that interval in respect to the collection of Orchids is remarkable, and highly creditable to Mr. Heims, the gardener. The plants have real vigour about them, sending out their growths and making roots freely, which is a sure sign they are doing well. The Cattleya house is a well-built structure, having plenty of light, with provision for a good circulation of air, two things very essential to the successful cultivation of Orchids. Mr. Philbrick is doing the right thing in securing the very best species and varieties, for, as he remarked to us, “they take up no more room than the bad ones, which are dear at any price.” We noticed some grand specimens of Lælia purpurata in bloom, with many spikes of flowers, and there were some wonderful varieties among them; also some large specimens of Cattleya Mossiæ in bloom. Of Sobralia macrantha there were large specimens which had been very fine; and of Cattleya Mendelii some fine varieties. Near to these stood several good Lælias, such as L. elegans, L. anceps alba, and L. anceps Dawsoni, which were growing vigorously. Epidendrum ritellinum majus was at the time finely in bloom.—B. S. W.
PL. 61. VANDA PARISHII MARRIOTTIANA.
VANDA PARISHII MARRIOTTIANA.
[[Plate 61].]
Native of Moulmein.
Epiphytal. Plant dwarf, compact, evergreen, the stem short, with closely-set leaves, and thick aërial roots. Leaves distichous, ligulate-obtuse, with an unequal bilobed apex, stout and fleshy in texture, narrower, less drooping, and more densely set than in the type. Scape axillary, the spike erect, bearing several (about six) flowers. Flowers large, scentless, but remarkable for their beautiful colouring; sepals roundish-obovate, the outer surface pale mauve, with darker mauve blotches, and a well developed white keel, the inner surface bronzy-brown, richly suffused with magenta; petals similar in form and size, wholly mauve-coloured exteriorly, and within of the same brownish magenta tint as the sepals; lip auricled at the base, and produced into a short gibbous spur, the auricles white, with longitudinal mauve stripes, and two yellow blotches beneath the column, the interior portion of the richest magenta or lake-carmine, rhomboid, gibbous below the apex, and having a keel along the median line, and a conical callus at the base. Column bent forward, white marked with purple.
Vanda Parishii Marriottiana, Reichenbach fil., in Gardener’s Chronicle, N.S., xiii., 743; xv., 726.
Of this handsome novelty Professor Reichenbach observes, that it is “a very unexpected glorious surprise.” We are indebted to the courtesy of H. J. Ross, Esq., Castagnolo, à Lastra, à Signa, Italy, for the opportunity of figuring it, he having been kind enough to send us a flower-spike, accompanied by a coloured sketch of the entire plant; we have since exchanged a few plants of it with him, and from these several materials our plate has been prepared.