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Rodriguezia (Named in honour of Em)
(named in honour of Em. Rodriguez, a Spanish physician and botanist). Burlingtonia is now regarded, by the authors of the "Genera Plantarum," as synonymous with this genus, but is kept distinct in this work. ORD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about a score of species of interesting, stove, epiphytal orchids, natives of tropical America. Flowers usually showy, many in a simple raceme; dorsal sepal free, petaloid, the lateral ones narrow, connate; petals similar to the dorsal sepal; lip continuous, or very shortly connate with the base of the column, the base often produced into a spur, the lamina spreading, obovate or obcordate, often exceeding the sepals, the disk usually crested; column erect, slender, club-shaped or produced into two auricles at the apex; pollen masses two; scapes axillary under the pseudo-bulbs. Leaves oblong or elongated, coriaceous. For culture of the species described below, see Burlingtonia.
R. Batemani (Bateman's). This is the correct name of the plant described in this work as Burlingtonia Batemani.
R. caloplectron (beautiful-spurred). fl. light yellowish-white, twisted; lateral sepals forming a long, compressed, horn-like, acute body, wrapping round the spur of the emarginate lip; column square-winged; inflorescence usually pendulous, few-flowered. l. solitary, thick, lanceolate, acuminate. Pseudo-bulbs small, oblong-ligulate. New Grenada, 1871. R. lanceolata (lanceolate). A synonym of R. secunda. R. Leeana (Lee's). fl. the size of those of Burlingtonia candida; ovary light mauve; upper sepal white, yellowish on mid-line; latral ones white with yellow mid-line, quite connate; petals ligulate; lip clawed, white, with two long-linear, yellow keels, every keel having four small, lateral keels spreading outwards; column white, with numerous mauve spots. l. linear-ligulate, acute, 1ft. long. Pseudo-bulbs ancipitous. Native country uncertain, 1883. A curious and very stout species.
R. Lehmanni (Lehmann's). fl. whitish-ochre, with a brown wash; odd sepal gibbous-fornicate in the middle; lateral ones combined in a narrow, falcate, spur-like organ, with a broad, membranous lamina before the apex; petals cuneate-obovate, emarginate; lip having a solid, acute spur between the lateral sepals, the free part clawed, suddenly enlarged in a blade, blotched and spotted with cinnamon. New Grenada and Ecuador, 1882. (G. C. xix. 403.) R. refracta (bent back). fl. of a peculiar yellow-salmon colour, few, in a porrect raceme; dorsal sepal cuneate-obovate, bluntly acute, the lateral ones combined into one navicular, narrow body; petals cuneate-obovate; lip clawed, expanding into an emarginate blade, having on both sides four or five angular keels. l. of pseudo-bulb cuneate-oblong, acute. Peru. (Ref. B. 129.) R. secunda (side-flowering). fl. dark rose-colour, disposed in a cylindrical, recurved spike, which is longer than the leaves; sepals fornicate; petals ovate, obtuse; lip abruptly deflexed. l. lanceolate, obliquely emarginate at the apex. Pseudo-bulbs oval, compressed. h. 6in. Trinidad, 1820. (B. M. 3524; B. R. 930.) SYNS. R. lanceolata (L. B. C. 676), Pleurothallis coccinea (H. E. F. 129).
RODS, BONING OR BORNING. These are invaluable instruments in levelling ground, or for determining heights in making an incline uniform throughout. They are always requisite when laying out new walks or edges, levelling turf, &c. There are usually three made, straight, and of equal length, about 3 1/2ft. or 4ft., and provided with cross-pieces, which should be fixed in the centre, and at exact right angles. Before Borning Rods can be brought into use, it is necessary that two points should be fixed, preferably at the extreme ends of the ground to be levelled, should these not be too far apart. If level pegs are inserted at these points, and two of the three Rods allowed to rest on them, as many intermediate pegs may be inserted as thought desirable for guiding workmen. This is done by a third person with the other Rod, who drives pegs in as he is directed from one of the ends, until all the Rods are in, as near as possible, a direct line. The tops of the pegs, if the levelling is properly done, should then show all inequalities in the soil, and represent themselves either a level surface or a uniform incline, according to the disposition of the ground and the comparative heights of the two fixed points taken at the commencement. Boning or Borning Rods of equal length can only be used correctly by persons accustomed to them, as the light is found most deceiving at a distance. Sometimes, one of the Rods is made an inch longer, and a small sight-hole pierced through the cross-piece. By using this, it is possible to work with more exactness, as a workman who might be able to level through a sight-hole might not be able to do so correctly were all the Rods made of equal length, and no sight-hole pierced.