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Gongora (Named after D Antonio)

(named after D. Antonio Cabellero, of Gongora, once Viceroy of New Granada, and a zealous patron of Mutis). Including Acropera. ORD. Orchideae. A singular genus, comprising more than a score species of ornamental, evergreen, stove epiphytal orchids, natives of tropical America. Flowers drooping, in racemes, sometimes 2ft. long; lateral sepals free and spreading; upper one remote and connate with the column; petals small, adnate to the middle of the column; lip clawed, continuous with the base of the column. Leaves broadly lanceolate, plaited, 1ft. or more long. Pseudo-bulbs oblong, two-leaved. Gongoras should be grown in baskets of peat and moss, and with the temperature of a cool end of the Cattleya house. A liberal supply of water, both to leaves and roots, may be applied during summer. During winter, little will be required, but the pseudo-bulbs must not be allowed to shrivel. This genus, although somewhat neglected of late, possesses several free-flowering and handsome species, of which the following are a selection: G. armeniaca (Apricot-coloured). fl. rich yellow, slightly spotted with red; raceme rather lax, twelve to twenty-flowered, pendulous, 1ft. or more long. Summer. l. twin, broad, light green, produced on the top of the oval pseudo-bulbs. Nicaragua, 1850.

G. atropurpurea (dark-purple). fl. dark purple, borne in great profusion; racemes long. Summer. l. light green. Pseudo-bulbs ribbed. Trinidad, 1824. An old but very pretty species, of compact growth. (B. M. 3220.) G. bufonia major (large frog-like). fl. elegantly variegated with purple and white. Brazil, 1837. This species much resembles G. atropurpurea in habit, leaves, and pseudo-bulbs.

G. Galeottiana (Galeotti's). fl. red, yellow. April. Mexico, 1842. G. maculata (spotted).* fl. yellow, spotted with rosy-red; racemes more than 1ft. long, pendulous. May. l. dark green. Pseudo-bulbs ribbed. h. 1 1/2ft. Demerara, 1832. (B. M. 3687.) There are, or were, numerous varieties of this species, one of the best being grandiflora, in which the flowers are pure white, with a few rosy spots on the lip, and the pseudo-bulbs more deeply ribbed than in the type. Guiana, 1836.

G. portentosa (monstrous). fl. 1 1/2in. to 2in. long; sepals pale flesh-coloured; petals and lip speckled with small violet-purple spots; raceme elongated, many-flowered. April. Ecuador, 1869. A pretty compact-growing species. (B. M. 6284.) G. speciosa (showy). A synonym of Coryanthes speciosa.