It is with the greatest pleasure that we are now enabled to present to the notice of our readers an illustration of this most splendid variety, which is, no doubt one of the best of the spotted forms of the Princess of Wales’s Odontoglot, Odontoglossum Alexandræ (crispum). We are greatly indebted to N. C. Cookson, Esq. of Wylam-on-Tyne, in whose honour it is named, for his kindness in sending such ample materials for figuring so splendid a variety. We are constantly receiving examples of charming forms of this beautiful Odontoglot, which is sought after so much by those who grow cool Orchids, for the plants take no more, or but little more room or heat than the commonest greenhouse plants. Indeed, they are quite easily grown when they get the proper treatment, and are planted in proper material. They must be kept cool during the summer months; and in winter the thermometer may range from 45° to 55°.
Odontoglossum Alexandræ Cooksonii is en evergreen plant, growing like O. Alexandræ itself, along with which it was imported. The sepsis and petals are white, irregularly and heavily marked with brownish crimson; while the lip, which is of the some colour—white, and spotted with brownish crimson, bears in addition a golden yellow crest. It flowers during the summer, and lasts for about six weeks in bloom, requiring the same treatment as O. Alexandræ, which has been fully explained under [Plate 47] of our first volume.
The Orchids at Dunlop House, Ayrshire, the seat of T. D. Cunningham Graham, Esq., include several wonderful specimens that have been many years attaining their present size; while it is remarkable to find such plants in perfect health. We were delighted to find such an example as may here be seen, of Angræcum sesquipedale, which from its size must have been one of those brought from Madagascar some years ago by the Rev. W. Ellis. This plant was nearly four feet in height, with two breaks at the bottom, and six flower spikes, perfect as a specimen, and such as those who are fond of well-grown plants would consider worth a long journey to see. Opposite to this were some remarkably fine plants of Vanda suavis, one of which is nine feet high in the main stem, with seven fine growths of four feet high, and five smaller growths. We believe we may safely say that this is one of the finest specimens we have ever seen. Vanda tricolor is nearly equally fine, having the main stem eight feet high, supplemented by four growths four feet high. There are besides other fine Orchids in the same house, and some good foliage plants, of which there is a fine collection. We have often heard it stated that Orchids cannot be successfully grown unless there is a house set apart for them; but the fact that these Vandas, Angræcums, &c., are grown in company with ordinary stove plants, at once upsets this notion, and proves that any one having a good stove may cultivate in them these most beautiful Orchids, which, we may add, are nearly always in bloom.
After leaving these grand plants we entered the principal Orchid house, wherein we also found many well-grown plants. We specially noticed Dendrochilum filiforme, a fine specimen, which had produced a great number of its drooping spikes. Vanda cœrulea was finely in bloom, as were Phalænopsis violacea, with its pretty violet coloured flowers, and P. grandiflora, a fine plant of a good variety. We were also glad to see the rare Cœlogyne ocellata maxima, a chaste and pretty Orchid. Arundina bambusifolia, was well in bloom, with four spikes of its light rose sepals and petals, and rich magenta lip. There were many fine Cattleyas and Lælias making good growths for next year; also Cypripedium superbiens, a fine specimen, and one of the best of the barbatum section. Next to it was a very large C. Dominianum, a pretty free-blooming hybrid, which continues flowering from the same spike for some months, a new flower coming on as soon as one goes off. There are many interesting plants grown at this place, and Mr. Kemp, the gardener, seems to take great interest in them, which is the way to ensure success.—B. S. W.
PL. 119. CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM.
CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM.
[[Plate 119].]
Native of Assam.
Epiphytal. Stemless, with spreading distichous evergreen foliage. Leaves few, oblong-ligulate, sub-acute, heeled beneath, and there purple-spotted towards the base, six to eight inches long or more, thick and leathery in texture, of a dull glossy green colour. Peduncles erect, issuing from an oblong compressed basal sheath, dark reddish-purple, puberulous, eight to ten inches high, the flower emerging from an ancipitous linear-oblong obtuse bract shorter than the purplish three-ribbed ovary. Flowers about three and a half inches across, with a large pouch or lip; dorsal sepal large, standard-like, the base green, hairy, cuneate, suddenly expanding into an ovate, bluntly apiculate, transversely oblong lamina, two inches broad, the sides of which are recurved, auriculæform, white, or in some forms tinted with pink, the keel or central line being marked with a well-defined purple stripe; lateral sepals short, connate, ovate, acute, whitish-green; petals ligulate or linear-oblong, laterally deflexed, the margins neatly wavy, but most so upon the upper side, pale yellowish-green, with a median purple line and numerous purple freckles over the surface; lip large, the pouch somewhat bell-shaped, with round everted auricles on each side, and a broad acute sinus in front, glossy, olive green, with the anterior part dark reddish-brown. Column short, hairy. Staminode subquadrate, obsoletely three-lobed in front, mauve-purple, with a white border, and yellow markings in the centre.
Cypripendium Spicerianum, Reichenbach fil., in litteris ad cl. Veitch, December, 1878; Id. Gardeners’ Chronicle, N.S. xiii., 363; Id. L’Illustration Horticole, t. 473; Id. Xenia Orchidacea, t. 231; Gardeners’ Chronicle, N.S. xiii, 40, fig. 7 (woodcut); Hooker fil., Botanical Magazine, t. 6490; Moore, Florin and Pomologist, 1882, 179 (woodcut); Garden, xvii., 169 (woodcut); xxiii., t. 378 (coloured figure of blush variety).