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A E R A N T H U S SESQUIPEDALLS l m
AKKANTHUS SEsquiPEDALls, Lindl,, Gcn. ct Sp. Orch,, 244!
Florcs varia: mi^itudinis cboracci albi, <lcinum navidi,
Crcscit in insula Madagascar. Aubert-Aubcrt du l'ctit-n>ouars
rs analyt. Tl.rcc androclinia (anlhcrbcds),
transversely tlirough the polliniu . .. J. Three polUnari.i, one of which
• beneath. All more ar less enlarged.
T „ n „ „ i, „ „ Acranlh™, of my knowWge, ihat is „ol recognisod by the t„„-l„be<l „Ml im, lo rec.l.e the Iwo dilTorenl
c.™d,a,te „ c l (jiandate. A„sra:ci,m and Listroslachys ha» a l e g beaked roslellam, as Ihcy should have for the one or
the twn r.-iiifiii-two caudiciuillTa»:. y " luv v^u^
The^inclination to keep as Acranthus, the very small grandifloriis group only,
. ^ c- T 1 , , group oniy, arose rcccntly witn bir Joseph
K ™ , 1 '» " "" S.ec„hil„, adversn, (Thrtapermnn,
.-.die^nm), wh.eh has no „ „ „ ! „ „ , a, all, and that this genus shows speel.s with longest menta aitd those without any also
numerous intcrmedml cases. ^
Mr. Benthani made a "reformation" of the affinity after his c
... . , ^ - Agranthus is kept for grandiflorus
to Angrj
a huriy.
E 0. p Aevanthus se.,„,pedal,s „ brought to Angr^eum, as the great Lindley had done, most probably, for the benefit
Of the horticultural world only, or pressed :r -
The American Acranthi form two '
Ornithidiuni and Diadenium
• genera—Campyloplectron and the Ci-yptocentrum—placed between
^ , . African Aeraiuhi are the Mystacidia. Two American species are also associated
A ™ L 7 "- » S ' . O " of .1» two ( « 5 of Dot. Hag.) is prl.llegLl to stay at oneo under
Angr,xcum (see the " Macroura" imder Angriecum),
Tor the first sight of this wonderful Orchid
}x-ars was engaged in missionary work in Madaga?
30 year.s ago, A more extraordinary plant had not before been
botanists but all natui-aiist.s. It attracted the attention of Danvin, who
/-/. C. Rchb. f .
• gardens «'c are indebted to the Rev. William Ellis, who for many
He introduced living plants of this Orchid to Eurojx: more than
this country, and it excited interest not only among
— — ---"^i''"!, vviii^ wtib ui uiai time mvveessitiifgfaattinnigji tchnec fleetr tilisation of
orehrdaceous plants, and the unusual length of the spur of the Bower was regarded by him with peeuil.r interest The
plant was looked upon with not less pleasure by Orehid eultlv.tors, who saw h, it a most beautiful as well as a singular
Uielna. It remained a great rarity for years, but, hnaily, large quantities of lii-ing plants were imporUd from
M.d.agasear, so that now, although still highly prlaed, it is familiar in gardens,
ishnrl '" T ? " " ® " Ellis gi-es an instructive aeeount of the vegetation of the
island, and ,t ineludes some remarks relating to this plant which are valuable to Orehid growers. He says- "Both
Augr,cun, sesquipedale and A, eburneum were the most abtmdant and beautiful among the Orchids. I noticed that
they grew most plentifully on trees with the thinnest foliage, and that A. sesquipedale was seldom, if ever seen on the
grotind, but grew high tip .amongst the branches, often throwing out long str.aggling stems terminating in a few small and
often, appttrcntly, shn.elied leaves. The roots also partook of the same habit, being seldom branched or spreading but