Maxillaria species unidentified [1]

Horticultural & Botanical History

No data.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [O.39/1850].

Notes

Loddiges and Sons, a nursery that specialised somewhat in orchids, figured nine Maxillaria species in the final seven years of its publication the Botanical Cabinet.  We know that William Macarthur was a regular reader of this journal, possessing a number of volumes, and he appears to have used it as a catalogue from which to order plants.  Species figured and describe were: M. atropurpurea, with purple flowers, ‘The beauty of the flowers, and its singularity both in form and colour, render it a most valuable addition to the number of the Orchidaceous plants, to which, if we unite its delicious fragrance, there will be few more desirable.’  [LBC no.1877/1832].  M. barringtoniae, ‘A native of Jamaica: it has long been known in this country’.  [LBC no.1824/1832].  M. deppii [LBC no.1612/1830].  M. galeata [LBC no.1645/1830].  M. gracilis, ‘This curious little plant is a native of Brazil; it is very slender in its habit, and does not exceed the height of four inches.’ [LBC no.1837/1832].  M. ochroleuca with white and yellow flowers, ‘A native of Brazil, lately introduced.’  [LBC no.1904/1833].  M. punctata, with yellow and white flowers spotted with red, ‘Native of Brazil, introduced a few years since.’  [LBC no.1914/1833].  M. racemosa [LBC no.1318/1828].  M. warreana, Brazil, with yellow, white and purple flowers.  [LBC no.1884/1832].