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Brassia (Named after Mr William Brass)

(named after Mr. William Brass, who was sent by Sir Joseph Banks to Cape Coast and the neigh-bouring districts as a botanical collector, at the end of the last century). ORD. Orchideae. A genus of tropical American Orchids, very nearly allied to Oncidium, with which, indeed, Reichenbach unites it. From this genus, however, Brassia may be distinguished by its simple inflorescence, elongated tail-like sepals, and short column, which is quite destitute of the side lobes or ears that form a marked feature in the species of Oncidium. There are about seventeen species, of which many are not sufficiently attractive to deserve the cultivator's attention. They will succeed either in pots or in baskets, the drainage of which must be perfect. They require to be potted in good fibrous peat, broken in pieces not less in size than a walnut, placed in the warm end of a Cattleya or Brazilian house, and supplied liberally with water during summer. In winter, they must still be kept in a tolerably warm place, and given sufficient water to keep the pseudo-bulbs from shrivelling. It is useless to dry off until shrivelling takes place, for experience assures us that when a plant shrivels it is generally, safe to assume that it has been tried beyond its powers of endurance, and that its constitution has given way. Propagated by dividing the plants, when growth has commenced.

B. antherotes (brilliant).* fl. 7in. in diameter from tip to tip of the sepals; sepals and petals yellow, brownish-black at the base, narrow, 1/8in. broad, tapering; petals 1 1/2in. long; lip triangular, yellow, barred with brown; spike strong, about 2ft. in length. Tropical America, 1879. B. caudata (tailed).* fl., sepals and petals yellow, barred with brown, from 4in. to 6in. long; lip broad and yellow, spotted with greenish-brown. When the plant is large and healthy, it produces numerous drooping spikes, 18in. long, and many-flowered. h. 1ft. West Indies, 1823. (B. R. 832.) B. Gireoudiana (Gireoud's). fl., sepals and petals bright yellow, spotted and blotched with deep red, produced in many-flowered scapes of singular and beautiful flowers during spring and early summer. This species much resembles B. Lanceana, but has larger flowers. Costa Rica. (R. X. O. 1, 32.) B. Lanceana (Lance's).* fl., sepals and petals lanceolate and tapering, bright yellow, blotched with brown, or sometimes with deep red; lip wholly yellow, slightly spotted at the base, and much waved, deliciously fragrant; scapes radical, many-flowered. In the typical species, the lip is rather more than half as long as the sepals. l. rich dark green. h. 9in. Surinam, 1843. (B. R. 1754.) B. L. macrostachya (large-spiked).* fl., sepals and petals bright rich yellow, sparingly spotted with brown, as in the type; sepals lengthened out into tail-like appendages, which are sometimes nearly 5in. in length; lip wholly of a clear pale yellow. Demerara.

B. L. pumila (dwarf). fl., sepals pale yellow, without spots or markings; petals of the same colour, tinged with purple near the base; lip about half the length of the sepals, slightly contracted in the middle, yellow, with a brownish-yellow base. Caraccas.

B. Lawrenceana (Lawrence's).* fl. large, sweet-scented; sepals and petals bright yellow, spotted with cinnamon and green; lip yellow, tinged with green. June to August. h. 1ft. Brazil, 1839. (B. R. 27, 18.) B. L. longissima (long-sepaled).* fl., sepals deep orange-yellow, blotched and spotted, especially towards the base, with reddish-purple, and lengthened out into tail-like appendages, which, in well-grown examples, measure 7in. in length; petals about 2 1/2in. long and 1/4in. broad at the base, marked in the same manner as the sepals; lip about 3in. long, pale yellow, dotted and spotted towards the base with purple. August and September. Costa Rica, 1868. A magnificent variety.

B. maculata (spotted).* fl. large; sepals and petals pale yellow, irregularly spotted with brown; the former being short compared with those of the other species; lip white, spotted about and below the centre with brown and purple. Spring and early summer. Jamaica, 1806. (B. M. 1691.) B. m. guttata (spotted).* fl. on spikes 2ft. or 3ft. long; sepals and petals yellowish-green, blotched with brown; lip broad, yellow, spotted with brown. May to August. Guatemala, 1842.

SYN. B. Wrayae. (B. M. 4003.) B. verrucosa (warty-lipped).* fl. large; sepals and petals greenish, blotched with blackish-purple; lip white, ornamented with numerous little green protuberances or warts, hence the specific name; scape many-flowered. May and June. Guatemala.

B. v. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl. twice the size of, and a lighter colour than, the type. This variety is very rare, and is said to be the best of the genus.

B. Wrayae (Wray's). A synonym of B. maculata guttata.