C . \ T r L E \ ' A liOWRlNC.IANA r,,yrf.
Pscudobiiibis clavatis vcl
; scpalis oblongo-olliptici« iicutis ; pctiiUs quivm scpnU 11
liiriilc-llaY« ; pcilonciills S—13 Huris, floribus . ,. . .,
liibcllo subcylindrirorrai tibscurc Irilobato apicc paullo cmarginalo. Coluinii.-i
Iconcs analytica;- Co)ui
Tins handsome autumn-flowering- species is a native of British Honduras, discoveixd, wc believe, and sent home to
Europe first by M. Turkhcim, a resident gentlennui of that country, and an orchid cnUuisiast. In grovrth it is distinct
from all other CatUeyas in having a peculiar globe-shaped base to its pscudo bulbs ; it is a free-growing plant, producing
in Octobcr and November large spikes of showy blossoms, ranging in colour from rosy pink to deep purple and crimson ;
lower half of lip deep maroon-crimson, inner half white or rosy, and often veined light purple, the number of flowers on
each truss varying according to the vigour of the plant; we have had spikes bearing seventeen flowers. The construction
of the flower and other peculiarities of this plant guided us to the unsearched parts of British 1 londuras, and we sent Mr.
Oversluys, a clever and enterprising collcctor, in search of it, and after a year's fatiguing labour he was at last rewarded,
and sent home the first large consignment in 1887. The plant soon found its way into collections, being justly considered
one of the finest Cattleyas yet introduced ; a batch of some five hundred plants in full bloom in dull November, as we
saw it last year, is a sight not easily forgotten, This Cattleya should have an abundant supply of water as the growing
season of the plant is in summer, when evaporation is more rapid, and in its native habitat even in the diy season it is
subjected to much vapour arising from the many water courses with which its native locality is intersected, hence
this species should never be overpotted, and some crocks, charcoal, or broken bones can be incorporated with the peat
and sphagnum moss, so that the roots may not become decayed through stagnant and sour material.
In its native rocky ravines the plants are often found matted to the bare rocks, fully exposed to the sun, with
nothing to sustain it in the dry season but the nightly dews. In the rainy season a great many of the plants are eaten
by the wild animals, which are very fond of the young succulent shoots; and in their search for these the plants an
trodden down and so much broken as not to be worth collecting.
It was first shown by Messrs. James Vcitch & Sons, Exotic Nurseries, King's Road, Chelsea, London, c
October 31st, 1885, under the name of Cattleya autumnalis, and received a first-class certificate—later this plant wi
altered to C. Bowringiana.
Our plalc was taken from a plant no»' in thi; possession of F. L. Ames, llsq., LatiKwatcr, Norlli liaston, Mass., U.S..\.
e often
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