Maxillaria
(from maxillae, the jaws of an insect; referring to a resemblance in the column and lip). ORD. Orchideae. An extensive genus of stove terrestrial Orchids. Over 100 have been enumerated as species, but some of these are merely garden forms; they are natives of tropical America, extending from Brazil as far as the West Indies and Mexico. Flowers more or less ringent; lateral sepals adhering to the column at their oblique base; lip hooded, jointed with the prolonged claw-like foot of the column, which is narrow, ascending; pollen masses four; scapes or peduncles at base of pseudobulbs, or in the axils of the leaves, solitary, always one-flowered. Leaves coriaceous, slender, or rather fleshy. A large number of species and varieties are described, but, as the majority of them produce small flowers, the whole genus has fallen out of favour with most orchidgrowers. There are, however, some which should find a place in every collection, however limited the space. From a cultural point of view, few plants of this order are easier to grow than those now under consideration. Maxillarias thrive best when treated as pot plants, and should be potted in a compost of good fibrous peat and chopped sphagnum, in about equal parts. During the growing season, a temperature of 60deg. to 70deg., and an abundant supply of water, are essential to their well-being; in the winter, less water must be given, and the temperature should fall some 10deg. or 12deg. lower than during the period of growth. It is not, however, advisable to thoroughly dry off during winter. Propagated by divisions of the pseudo-bulbs, in spring. Other species formerly included here will now be found under Xylobium (which see). M. acicularis (needle-leaved). fl. dark blood or chocolate-coloured, erect; sepals and petals oblique or sub-ovate-spathulate; petals paler, and decurrent with the white column; lip obscurely three-lobed. l. setaceo-fusiform, 3in. to 4in. long. Pseudo-bulbs in clusters. Brazil. (B. M. 4374.) M. acutipetala (sharp-petaled). fl. pale orange, spotted and blotched with blood-colour; sepals oblong, acute, 1 1/2in. long; petals smaller; lip articulated on the base of the decurrent column, paler below. March and April. l. two, from the summit of the pseudo-bulb, linear-oblong or almost ligulate. Pseudobulbs deeply furrowed. Central America. A very desirable orchid. (B. M. 3966.) M. arachnites (cobwebby). fl. yellowish; acuminate segments bent and twisted; lip ochre, bordered with purple, and with many short streaks and lines. Columbia, 1880.
M. aromatica (aromatic). A synonym of Lycaste aromatica. M. ciliata (ciliate). A synonym of Lycaste Barringtonioe. M. cruenta (bloody). A synonym of Lycaste cruenta.
M. cucullata (hooded). fl. greenish-chocolate; sepals oblong-lanceolate, acute, spreading; petals similar, but smaller, connivent over the column; lip jointed at the base of the column, recurved; scapes radical, about 4in. long. September. l. solitary, linear-oblong. Pseudo-bulbs surrounded by jagged membranes. Tropical America. (B. M. 3945.) M. Deppei (Deppe's). A synonym of Lycaste Deppei.
M. fractiflexa (twisted). fl., sepals and petals drawn out into long curved and twisted tails, 6in. or more in length, the tails and basal parts purple; disk white; lip white and red. 1881. A distinct species. M. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl. large; sepals snow-white, from 1 1/2in. to 2in. long, and from 3/4in. to lin. broad, not acuminate; petals snow-white, smaller; lip three-lobed, streaked with yellow on the lateral lobes, and blotched with crimson inside, central or intermediate portion lemon-yellow; scape one-flowered; 4in. to 9in. high. Pseudo-bulbs ovate, with sharp edge; dark green, 2in. high, and one-leaved. Paraguayan Andes and Peru. (I. H. 14.) M. Henchmanni (Henchmann's). A synonym of M. variabilis. M. irrorata (bedewed). fl. white, bordered, blotched, and washed with purple, about 1in. long; lip ochre, with a purple margin and two purple spots beneath; peduncle covered with broad sheaths. Andes, 1883.
M. leptosepala (narrow-sepaled). fl. large, solitary; sepals yellowish-white, very spreading, 2 1/2in. long; petals similar, but smaller; lip oblong-obovate, three-lobed, with a swelling at the base of the disk; scapes two or three from the base of the pseudobulbs. July. l. solitary, nearly 1ft. long. Pseudo-bulbs clustered, about 2in. long. h. 1ft. New Grenada, 1846. (B. M. 4434.) M. luteo-alba (yellowish-white).* fl. creamy-white, large, proceeding from the sides of the bulbs at different times of the year. l. long and broad, about 1 1/2ft. in height. Merida. A neat-growing species. (W. O. A. 106.) M. luteo-grandiflora (large-flowered yellow).* fl., sepals and petals broad, creamy-white towards the base, of a tawny-orange upwards, suffused with brownish-crimson; lip creamy-white; scapes about half the length of the leaves. Winter and spring, A very handsome garden plant, forming a compact mass, and flowering very freely. (F. M. 559.) M. nigrescens (dark). fl., sepals and petals port-wine colour, spreading; lip of the same colour, stained with dull purple; peduncles erect. Winter and spring. Pseudo-bulbs light green, bearing a solitary, dark green, coriaceous leaf. New Grenada.
M. Parkeri (Parker's). fl. buff, white; sepals oblong, obtuse; petals linear-lanceolate; lip trilobed, hooded. April. l. lanceolate, coriaceous, obscurely striate. Pseudo-bulbs oval, compressed, one-leaved. h. 9in. Demerara, 1826. (B. M. 2729.) M. picta (painted). fl. of a soft cream-colour, more or less streaked and dotted with dull purple and chocolate, both within and without, yielding a most powerful aromatic perfume; petals remarkably incurved; scapes from 5in. to 6in. high. Winter. l. thick, strap-shaped, nearly 1ft. long. Brazil. Not a very showy species, but a profuse blossomer, and admirably suited for growing in a Wardian case. (B. M. 3154.) M. porphyrostele (purple-columned). fl. whitish-yellow; petals with a purplish streak at the base; lip with purplish veins on the side lobes. Spring. l. linear-ligulate, from small ovoid pseudo-bulbs. h. 6in. Brazil, 1873. This species somewhat resembles M. picta. (B. M. 6477.) M. rufescens (reddish). fl. orange and yellow, spotted with dark purple-red, sweet-scented. Trinidad, 1836. (B. R. 1848.) M. splendens (splendid).* fl., sepals and petals white; lip orange, margined with rose. Columbia, 1870. A very handsome species, similar in growth to M. venusta, but more robust.
M. tenuifolia (slender-leaved). fl. yellow, with bright crimson barrings, proceeding from the base of the matured growths. March. l. long-linear, acuminate. Pseudo-bulbs ovate, like so many bulbils strung together on short perpendicular footstalks. (B. R. xxv. 8.) M. tetragona (tetragonal). A synonym of Lycaste tetragona. M. Turneri (Turner's). fl. of a rich cinnamon-brown and crimson, with a delicious fragrance. May. l. long, broad, 1ft. high. Pseudo-bulbs short. A distinct and desirable plant.
M. variabilis (variable).* fl. purplish; sepals and petals erect, oblong-acute; lip oblong, erect, obscurely three-lobed; peduncles longer than the pseudo-bulbs. l. solitary, linear-ligulate. Mexico. (B. M. 3614, under name of M. Henchmanni.) M. venusta (handsome).* fl. of a very beautiful waxy-white, thick and fleshy in texture; lip faintly stained with yellow and blotched with crimson; scapes long. November to February. l. light shining green. linear-oblong. Pseudo-bulbs two-leaved. New Grenada, 1862. A beautiful species, very easy to grow, and remaining in flower a long time. (B. M. 5296.)