Renanthera
(from ren, a kidney, and anthera, an anther; alluding to the reniform shape of the anthers or pollen masses). SYN. Nephranthera. ORD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about seven species of stove, epiphytal Orchids, natives of tropical Asia and the Malayan Archipelago. Flowers showy or rather small; sepals much spreading, free, petaloid, the lateral ones broader and often longer than the dorsal one, which latter the petals resemble; lip short, sessile at the base of the column, articulated, saccate or spurred; column short and thick; anthers terminal, convex; pollen masses two, ovoid or oblong; peduncles lateral, elongated, branched; racemes loose, ample, panicled. Leaves distichous, spreading, fleshy or rigid, often obliquely bilobed at apex. Stems leafy, branched, not pseudo-bulbous. The best of the species here mentioned are R. coccinea, R. Lowii, and R. Storiei; the first requires warm-house treatment, and should be fastened on a stump of Tree-fern or Ash, against which it will grow to a great length, and flower freely every summer, if placed in a sunny position and kept moist. R. Lowii should be grown in the hottest and moistest house, in a sunny position; but its roots prefer a large pot filled with drainage, sphagnum, and lumps of fibry peat. R. Storiei is a rare plant, seldom seen in cultivation, and then always in bad health. It is usually potted in sphagnum and crocks, and placed in a tropical house along with Phalaenopsis. The other species, not already mentioned, require similar treatment.
R. coccinea (scarlet).* fl. of a beautiful blood-red within, disposed in very large panicles; lateral sepals oblong-spathulate, obtuse; dorsal one and petals linear-ligulate; middle lobe of lip bigibbous at base; spur acute, conical, straight. l. ligulate, obliquely emarginate at apex. Aerial roots very long. Cochin China, 1816. A splendid plant. (B. M. 2997; B. R. 1131.) R. elongata (elongated). fl. purplish; lateral sepals unguiculate; lateral lobes of lip sometimes sinuate, the middle lobe triangular and very short, bicallous at base; spur obtuse, conical; panicle elongated, nodding. l. broadly linear, oblique, emarginate. Kuripan. (B. R. 1843, 41.) R. histrionica (acting). fl., sepals and petals yellow, bordered with purplish blotches; lip white, with purplish blotches on the side lobes; spur orange; racemes short, few-flowered. l. acuminate. Malacca (?), 1878. R. Lowei (Lowe's).* fl., two kinds on the same spike, the lowest pair always tawny-yellow enlivened with crimson dots, the remainder pale green, almost hidden on the inner side by large, irregular blotches of reddish-brown; sepals and petals waved, lanceolate, acute, those of the lowest pair more blunt; spikes pendent, 6ft. to 12ft. long, bearing from thirty to fifty flowers. Stems caulescent, 1in. thick, climbing to a great height. Borneo. (B. M. 5475.) The correct name of this plant is now Arachnanthe Lowei. R. matutina (morning). fl. at first of a very beautiful blood-colour, paler outside, the disk of the lateral sepals golden, the bases of the petals striped with dark purple; lip very minute, dark purple; panicles much-branched, 2ft. to 3ft. long; peduncles intense purple. l. ligulate, obtuse and unequally bilobed at apex; sheaths sometimes violet. R. m. breviflora (short-flowered). A distinct variety, differing from the type in its shorter sepals, the lateral ones more free from one another, and the calli under the column larger. Sunda Isles, 1879.
R. moluccanum (Moluccan). fl. red, dotted; sepals all linearligulate; lateral lobes of lip bilobulate; middle lobule not callous at base; peduncles long-exserted at the apex of the panicle. l. shortened, oblong, obtusely bilobed at apex. Amboyna, 1846.
R. Storiei (Storie's). fl. more than 2in. across; dorsal sepals and petals dark orange; lower sepals broad, of a brilliant velvety-crimson, with lighter shades of the same colour; lip small, deep crimson, with small yellow bars, centre white. Philippines, 1880.