Lycaste
(called after Lycaste, the beautiful daughter of Priam). Including Colax and Paphinia. ORD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about twenty-five species of very ornamental stove or greenhouse epiphytal or terrestrial Orchids, natives of tropical America, extending from Peru to Mexico and the West Indies. They are nearly allied to Anguloa. The genus is remarkable in having the middle of the lip furnished with a transverse, fleshy, entire or notched appendage. The species are of easy culture, and especially valuable to the amateur grower, as they require very little artificial heat. They should be potted in rough fibrous peat and sphagnum, and drained well; for, although these plants produce stout pseudo-bulbs, which would enable them to sustain life for a long time, they nevertheless increase faster, and flower more profusely, when kept moderately moist during the resting season. Whilst growing, Lycastes can scarcely have too much water, always providing it is allowed to pass away quickly, and that plenty of air be admitted. Propagated by division, after flowering. Stove species, except where otherwise stated.
L. aromatica (aromatic).* fl. yellow, disposed in spikes; lip very hairy. Winter and spring. Mexico, 1828. A common and very free-flowering, warm-house species, remaining in beauty for four or five weeks. (B. R. 1871, under name of Maxillaria aromatica).
L. Barringtoniae (Mrs. Barrington's). fl. greenish, nodding; perigonal divisions ovate-oblong, pointed; lateral cohering, and forming a bluntly conical spur-like auricle; lip smaller; middle lobe ovate-oblong, blunt, ciliate; scape as long as the petioles. April. l. oblong, pointed, tapering to the slender petiole. Jamaica, 1790. (B. R. 1206, under name of Maxillaria ciliata.)
L. B. grandiflora (large-flowered). This differs from the type chiefly in the very large size of the flowers, which are as much as 5in. in diameter. West Indies, 1868. (B. M. 5706.) L. cristata (crested).* fl. white outside, interruptedly banded with purple inside; petals purple, whitish at base; scape pendulous, few-flowered. June to August. l. oblong-lanceolate, shortly stalked, plicate. Trinidad, 1834. Intermediate. (B. M. 4836, under name of Paphinia cristata; B. R. 1811, under name of Maxillaria cristata.)
L. cruenta (bloody).* fl., sepals greenish, yellow; petals deep orange; lip deep orange, blotched with crimson. March and April. Guatemala, 1841. This very free-flowering species thrives in a vinery, or even a greenhouse. It remains in beauty a month. (B. R. 1842, 13, under name of Maxillaria cruenta.)
L. Deppei (Deppe's).* fl. pale greenish-yellow, blotched with brown; lip white, spotted with crimson, having a golden-yellow crest. Winter and spring. South Mexico, 1828. A distinct, though not very handsome, warm-house species, flowering freely, and remaining in beauty for a considerable time. SYN. Maxillaria Deppei (B. M. 3395).
L. fulvescens (tawny). fl., tawny, orange; sepals lanceolate, lateral ones falcate; lip oblong; lateral segments small, acute; middle one ovate, obtuse, fringed, with a fleshy emarginate appendage. h. 2ft. Columbia. (B. M. 4193.)
L. gigantea (gigantic). fl., sepals and petals green, shaded with brown, from 3in. to 4in. long; lip of a deep purple colour, margined with rich orange, serrated; column white. June and July. Central America, 1848. (B. M. 5616; B. R. xxxi. 34.)
L. jugosa (ridged).* fl. about 2in. in diameter; sepals cream-colour; petals white, with numerous stripes of rich dark purple; lip white, irregularly striped and veined with deep velvety-purple; scape erect, two or three-flowered. April and May. l. in twos, dark green, 2in. broad. Pseudo-bulbs smooth and somewhat ovate. Brazil, 1867. The compost best suited for this warm-house species is one formed of chopped sphagnum and good peat, to which some medium-sized lumps of charcoal may be added, with considerable advantage. SYN. Colax jugosus. (B. M. 5661.) L. lanipes (woolly-stalked). fl. solitary; sepals and petals creamy-white; lip white, beautifully ciliated or fringed along its margin. October. l. lanceolate, 12in. to 18in. long. Pseudobulbs large. South America, 1848. Often met with in collections under the name of L. Barringtoniae.
L. lasioglossa (hairy-lipped).* fl. 5in. long, inclined; sepals dull cinnamon-brown, spreading, narrow-oblong; petals golden-yellow, one-third the length of sepals, arched, with rounded tip; lip golden-yellow, with purple spots on the midlobe, narrow, about equalling the sepals; midlobe clothed with interlaced hairs; scape stout, with a sheath above the middle. l. 8in. to 12in. long, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, plaited, bright green. Pseudo-bulbs 3in. long, ovoid, compressed, grooved. Guatemala, 1872. Intermediate. (B. M. 6251.)
L. linguella (small-tongued). fl. whitish; lateral sepals deflexed. January. Peru (?), 1871. This plant is closely related to L. ciliata and L. lanipes. (B. M. 6303.)
L. Puydtii (Puydt's). fl. green, with a few dark purple-brown spots on the central part of the sepals, and numerous confluent ones on the petals; lip livid violet. Brazil, 1880. Probably only a variety of L. jugosa. SYN. Colax Puydtii. (I. H. n. s. 369).
L. Skinneri (Skinner's).* fl. from 4in. to 6in. across, solitary; sepals and petals white, more or less suffused with rose; lip rosy-lilac, frequently very heavily blotched with the deepest rosy-crimson; scapes from 6in. to 12in. high. November to March. l. solitary, long, broad, dark green, plaited. Pseudo-bulbs large, dark green. Guatemala, 1842. A splendid species, and one of the most profuse-flowering orchids in cultivation. (B. M. 4445.) It has numerous very beautiful varieties, of which the following is a good selection:
L. S. delicatissima (very delicate). fl. large, about 6in. across; sepals and petals pinkish-white; lip white, intermixed with rose. February. (W. S. O. 10.) L. S. gloriosa (glorious). fl., sepals very large and broad, pale pink; petals rich rosy-pink, somewhat lighter inside; lip white towards the front. Guatemala.
L. S. picturata (spotted). fl. large, 7in. across; sepals and petals strongly tinged with rose; lip white, spotted, and heavily stained at the base with crimson. (W. S. O. 10.)
L. S. purpurata (purple). fl. large, 6in. across; sepals and petals blush-white; lip rich crimson-purple. (W. S. O. 10.)
L. S. rosea (rosy). fl. large, quite 7in. in diameter; sepals and petals rich dark rose; lip white, spotted with crimson. Guatemala. A very fine variety.
L. S. superba (superb). fl., sepals and petals blush-white; lip very rich crimson. Guatemala. Another splendid variety.
L. S. virginalis (virginal). fl., sepals and petals snow-white; lip white, with a faint tinge of lemon towards the base. Guatemala. A very handsome but rare variety.
L. Smeeana (Smee's). fl. white, except the lip, which has a light purple border of the triangular acute undulate anterior lacinia, rows of small purple stripes, and spots over the whole surface; petals purple-spotted on the inside. Probably a hybrid between L. Deppei (having similar flowers) and L. Skinneri.
L. tetragona (tetragonal). fl. green, yellow, and purple, solitary; sepals oblong, obtuse, spreading; petals similar, but smaller; lip fleshy, ventricose, three-lobed, erect; lateral lobes small, acute; middle one convex outside. June. l. oblong-lanceolate, plicate. Pseudo bulbs tetragonal. h. 6in. Brazil, 1830. (B. M. 3146, under name of Maxillaria tetragona; B. R. 1428.)