Saccolabium
(from saccus, a bag, and labium, a lip; alluding to the baggy lip). SYNS. Robiquetia and Saccochilus. Including CEceoclades (in part). ORD. Orchideae. This genus embraces about thirty species of very fine, stove, epiphytal orchids, natives of the East Indies and the Malayan Archipelago. Flowers racemose or scattered, shortly pedicellate; sepals sub-equal, free, spreading or erecto-patent, flat or concave; petals nearly similar, sometimes broader, rarely narrower; lip sessile at the base of the column, spurred or saccate at base, the lateral lobes erect, often small, the middle one spreading or erect, polymorphous; column short; pollen masses two; peduncles lateral, simple or branched. Leaves distichous, spreading, coriaceous, fleshy, or slender, flat or rarely terete. Stems leafy, not pseudo-bulbous. "In their habit of growth, the species of Saccolabium are similar to those of Aerides, and they require the same degree of heat, and the same general treatment, except that they are best grown in baskets suspended near the roof, so that they may receive all the light possible, and not too much shade--only enough to preserve their foliage from being scorched. The more light they receive, the more vigorous and better matured will be their growth, and this will lead to the production of fine floral racemes. They will also thrive in pots, placed near the glass, and on blocks; but, grown on this latter plan, they require more water. They are propagated in the same way as the Aerides, and are liable to become infested by the same sorts of insects" (B. S. Williams). The best-known species are here described. Some of them should find a place in every collection, as they are very handsome plants, even when not flowering.
S. acutifolium (acute-leaved).* fl. about 3/4in. in diameter, in small corymbs, on stiff peduncles 2in. to 3in. long; sepals and petals yellow, obovate, acute; lip pale pink, concave at base, where it has a rounded lobe on each side. l. 6in. long, sessile, slightly amplexicaul, oblong-lanceolate, very acute, flat, apparently fleshy. Stems 6in. high. Khasya, 1837. (B. M. 4772 and P. M. B. vii. 145, under name of S. denticulatum.)
S. ampullaceum (flask-formed). A synonym of S. rubrum. S. bellinum (pretty). fl. borne in a compact corymb, on a decurved peduncle; sepals and petals straw-colour, blotched with dark brown; lip white, spotted with mauve-purple, fleshy, having on each side a large cushion of filiform processes, yellow and spotted with red in the centre. February and March. l. lorate, obliquely bifld. Stems erect, short. Burmah, 1884. (W. O. A. 156.)
S. Berkeleyi (Berkeley's).* fl. large, disposed in a loose raceme; sepals and petals white, spotted and striped with amethyst; lip acute, not bilobed, the anterior blade amethyst. l. praemorse. Probably Andaman Islands. A beautiful species.
S. bigibbum (bigibbous).* fl. about eight in a drooping, sub-corymbose, shortly-pedunculate raceme; sepals and petals pale yellow, spathulate; lip remarkable, white, triangular, with a very broad, blunt spur, the edges frilled, the centre yellow. November. l. persistent, linear-oblong, bifid, bright green, about 4in. long. Stems very short. Rangoon, 1868. A rather rare, close-growing species. (B. M. 5767.)
S. Blumei (Blume's). A synonym of Rhynchostylis retusa.
S. borneense (Bornean).* fl. of a peculiar ochre-cinnamon colour, something like those of a Sarcanthus, produced in a nodding, dense raceme; sepals and petals oblong, acute, connivent; spur of the lip clavate and depressed, with an abrupt, broad top; side laciniae rounded and toothleted, the middle one almost terete, with an apiculus. l. broad, short, unequally bilobed, very fine. Borneo, 1881.
S. buccosum (inflated). fl. yellowish, with a few dark purplish-brown dots on the side laciniae of the lip and on the spur, erect, small; sepals oblong, acute; petals ovate, shorter than the sepals; blade of the lip trifid, the lateral segments ovate, acute, the middle one lanceolate, acute, carinate; raceme few-flowered, rather dense. l. ligulate, obliquely and obtusely bilobed at apex. Moulmein, 1871.
S. calopterum (beautiful-winged).* fl. rich purple, white at the base of the sepals and petals, rather large, much like those of Vanda caerulescens; petals spathulate, acute; lateral laciniae of lip elongated, with a free, acute apex; middle one triangular, acute, much smaller; panicle flexuous. New Guinea, 1882.
S. coeleste (celestial).* fl., sepals and petals tipped with sky-blue, blunt, cuneate-oblong; anterior part of the lip blue, the compressed, recurved spur also having a blue tint on both sides of its centre; two falcate, subulate bodies rise from the apex inside the spur; inflorescence short and dense, 3in. to 4in. long. Probably Moulmein. Habit similar to that of S. curvifolium.
S. curvifolium (curved-leaved).* fl. cinnabar-red, small, crowded in erect, axillary racemes, freely produced. May and June. l. linear, acutely praemorse, deflexed, channelled, light green. Stem erect, 6in. to 12in. high. East Indies. A handsome, compact species, thriving well on a block suspended from the roof. (I. H. 493; W. O. A. 107; B. M. 5326, under name of S. miniatum.)
S. c. luteum (yellow). fl. clear yellow. Moulmein. A rare variety.
S. dives (rich). fl. whitish-yellow, small, very numerous. l. stout, straight, linear-ligulate, unequally bilobed at the apex, 7in. long, about 3/8in. wide. India (Bombay district), 1875. A very curious plant.
S. flexum (bent). fl. red; sepals and petals ligulate, obtuse or acute; lip trifid, the lateral laciniae obtuse-angled, minute, the middle one triangular with a thickened limb; racemes small, porrect. New Guinea, 1882.
S. fragrans (fragrant). fl. white, numerous, violet-scented, in rich racemes; tops of the sepals and petals, and the whole of the pandurate lip, fine mauve-purple; spur curved, blunt. l. few, oblong, acute, full of rugosities and depressions, reticulated, dark green, with some dirty purple underneath. Burmah, 1882.
S. furcatum (forked). fl. white, spotted with rose-colour, more loosely disposed than in Rhynchostylis retusa. July and August. l. stout, about 8in. long. India, Java. A distinct and somewhat slow-growing species.
S. giganteum (gigantic).* fl. very sweetly perfumed, freely produced, in long, dense, drooping racemes; sepals and petals white, spotted with amethyst; lip of a beautiful mauve-violet, cuneate, dilated. Winter. l. broadly lorate, 1ft. long, 3in. wide, obliquely bilobed, stout, streaked. Stem short, erect. Burmah, 1864. (B. M. 5635; W. O. A. 56.) SYN. Vanda densiflora (F. d. S. 1765-6).
S. g. illustre (illustrious). fl. richer-coloured, larger, and more loosely disposed, than in the type; lip of a brighter hue; raceme longer. l. longer and broader, more prominently veined. Cochin China. A handsome variety. (I. H. ser. iii. 517.)
S. Graeffei (Dr. Graeffe's). fl. deep purple, pendent, conspicuous; blade of the lip short, three-toothed, having a transverse lamella in front of the base of the middle lacinia; spur cylindrical, blunt, constricted; spike borne on a strong peduncle. l. broad, ligulate, retuse, bilobed. Viti Islands, 1881.
S. gurwalicum (Gurwal). fl. white, with the exception of the amethyst lip, and some similarly-coloured blotches on the sepals and petals; spur hairy inside. India, 1879. A pretty plant, resembling Rhynchostylis retusa in habit, but only about half the size of that species. The proper name of this plant is Rhynchostylis gurwalicum.
S. guttatum (striped). A synonym of Rhynchostylis retusa.
S. Harrisonianum (Harrison's). A variety of S. violaceum.
S. Hendersonianum (Henderson's). fl. numerous, in erect, axillary racemes; sepals and petals of a beautiful rose-colour; lip white, compressed, reduced to little besides the spur. l. about 6in. long, ligulate, keeled, of a lively green. Borneo, 1862. A small, compact-growing species. (B. M. 6222.) S. Huttoni (Hutton's). fl. borne in a rather open raceme, 1ft. long; sepals and petals of a beautiful rose-colour; lip bright amethyst. l. coriaceous, distichous, loriform, keeled, unequally bilobed at the apex. Stem short. Java, 1867. (B. M. 5681.) SYN. Aerides Huttoni.
S. mimus (mimic). fl. rose-purplish, tipped with green; sepals and petals ligulate, acute; lip having semi-ovate, erect side laciniae, a triangular middle segment, and a cylindrical, slender spur, with a bent, dilated apex, equalling the pedicellate ovary; racemes one-sided. l. oblong-ligulate, with two blunt, unequal lobes, 5in. long, nearly 2in. broad. South Sea Islands, 1878.
S. miniatum (scarlet). fl. of a brilliant orange-red, small, disposed in short, spreading, cylindrical racemes. March and April. l. lorate, channelled, obliquely truncate at apex. Stems short, erect. Java, 1846. A pretty and distinct, but not very showy orchid. (B. R. 1847, 58.)
S. m. citrinum (citron-coloured). fl. lemon-yellow, with a dark centre; inflorescence rich, dense. Philippine Islands, 1884.
S. papillosum (papillose). fl. white, painted with yellow and purple; sepals fleshy, linear-ovate, obtuse; lip papillose, with an obconical, obtuse spur; racemes small, one-third the length of the leaves, capitate. May and June. l. ligulate, 4in. to 6in. long, praemorse at apex, dark green. Stem arcuate, nearly 1ft. long. Malabar, 1840. (B. R. 1552.) SYN. S. praemorsum (F. d. S. vii. p. 92; G. M. B. i. p. 253).
S. praemorsum (bitten). A synonym of S. papillosum.
S. pumilio (dwarf). fl. small, in a bent, cylindrical, dense raceme, shorter than the leaves; sepals and petals yellowish, ligulate, obtuse; lip white, with some purplish marks on the blade. l. scarcely more than 3in. long, nearly 1in. wide, oblong, unequally bilobed at apex, dark green above, purple beneath. Manilla, 1875.
S. retusum (retuse). fl. of a waxy-white, spotted with pink, produced in great abundance in long racemes. May and June. Java. " A fine, handsome, free-growing form, and probably one of the many varieties of Rhynchostylis retusa indicated by Reichenbach when treating of this species. It is more robust in habit than most other forms" (B. S. Williams). (F. d. S. 1463-4.)
S. rubrum (red).* fl. of a beautiful deep rose-colour, in dense, erect, axillary, oblong racemes about 6in. long; sepals and petals ovate; lip linear, with a long, slender, compressed spur. May and June. l. dark green, thick, ligulate, channelled, 3in. to 4in. long, truncate and toothed at apex. Stem simple, erect, 8in. to 10in. high. India, 1839. A distinct species, succeeding on a block or in a basket. SYN. S. ampullaceum (B. M. 5595; L. S. O. 17; P. M. B. xiii. 49; W. O. A. 191).
S. r. moulmeinense (Moulmein). fl. of a uniform, rich, deep rose, larger than in the type, spike longer and denser. l. spotted with dull brown. A superb, robust variety. (F. M. 393, under name of S. ampullaceum roseum.)
S. speciosum (showy). This is the correct name of the plant described in this work as Aerides maculosum.
S. Turneri (Turner's).* fl. lilac-spotted, very beautiful, densely produced in racemes fully 2ft. long. June. l. about 1ft. long and 1 1/2in. broad, distinctly praemorse at the apex. India, 1878.
S. violaceum (violet).* fl. very numerous, borne in showy, axillary racemes 1ft. to 1 1/4ft. long; sepals and petals pure white, spotted with mauve; lip of a dark mauve, marked with deeper-coloured lines. January and February. l. 1ft. or more long, 2in. broad, recurved, deep green, somewhat striated with lines of a deeper colour. Stems stout, erect. Manilla, 1839. SYN. Vanda violacea (B. R. 1847, 30).
S. v. Harrisonianum (Harrison's).* fl. pure white, large, very sweet-scented, borne in dense, axillary racemes sometimes 2ft. long. Winter. l. broadly oblong, keeled beneath, striated, unequally bilobed at apex, of a rather lighter green than those of the type. Pulo Copang, 1864. (B. M. 5433, F. d. S. 2412, and W. O. A. 236, under name of S. Ilarrisonianum.)
S. Witteanum (Witte's). fl. in a loose, elongated raceme; sepals and petals orange, with reddish spots; lip white, with some purple markings, and a green apex to the spur, the mouth of which is covered by three teeth. l. cuneate-oblong, toothed at apex, 2ft. or more long. Java, 1884. In general appearance, this plant resembles Sarcanthus densiflorus.