The Orchid Album, Volume 3: Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous PlantsMoore, Thomas
Science
The Orchid Album, Volume 3: Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous Plants
Moore, Thomas
Orchids; Orchids -- Pictorial works
Some confusion in reference to the name of this handsome Dendrobe has
arisen in gardens where it has for about twenty years been known as
_Dendrobium eburneum_. This name, a MS. one of the Rev. C. P. S. Parish,
was attached to it in the _Botanical Magazine_ for 1864, and by mistake
attributed to Professor Reichenbach, who had published the name _D.
Draconis_ for the same plant in the _Botanische Zeitung_ for 1862. The
name _Draconis_, of course, takes precedence.
The plant which we now introduce to our readers under its correct name,
is a most beautiful Indian Dendrobe, one which is quite distinct in
growth, belonging to the nigro-hirsute group of which _Dendrobium
formosum_ is an example; it is, however, smaller, and a much better
grower, and, in fact, more closely resembles _D. infundibulum_ and _D.
Jamesianum_, both in its habit and its flowers, which are produced very
freely, as may be seen from the faithful representation of the plum and
flowers which our artist has made. The drawing was taken from a specimen
which bloomed in the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, one of a large
importation we received last year as _D. eburneum_, the true name of
which, on submitting flowers to Professor Reichenbach, we learned to be
_D. Draconis_. We have subsequently bloomed others with much larger
flowers. It will become a most valuable plant for decoration, as its
blossoms last so long after being cut, and being white it will be always
in request.
_Dendrobium Draconis_ grows about a foot in height. It is an evergreen
plant, with dark hairy stems, producing deep green foliage and short
racemes of flowers. The sepals and petals are pure ivory-white, and the
lip is also white, with a bright vermilion throat. It flowers in May,
June, and July, and lasts about six weeks.
This plant does well in pans or pots suspended from the roof of the East
India house, near the light, as like all the Dendrobes it requires all
the light possible in order to ripen its stems, but the burning sun must
be kept from it. We have grown it in the stove hanging under a plant of
_Stephanotis_, where there is little shade from the foliage of the
Stephanotis, and with this treatment it has bloomed very freely. The
best potting material for it consists of rough fibrous peat and sphagnum
moss, with a liberal supply of water at the roots in the growing season.
When the growth is completed give just enough to keep the stems in a
plump state. It will grow either in pots or baskets suspended from the
roof, and also on blocks of wood with live sphagnum moss about the
roots, but under the latter circumstances when in vigorous growth the
plants will require more water and attention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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